The Vampire Knight and The Girl Who Doesn't Fit Onto the Chess Board
by CeruleanKiss
Summary: There are two new guardians joining Yuuki and Zero at Cross Academy. Sora came with her brother to the school not long ago, and for some reason, the girl attracts people to her like a magnet- vampires, hunters, and humans alike. And her clever nature keeps her at the same pace as Kaname. She could never fit on his chess board of life. What to do with her? How will it end?
1. Intro and Chapter 1 Fatality

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN VAMPIRE KNIGHT OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS. 

but I do own my OC Sora, and the rest of the made-up side cast in this story.

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**To start off, if anyone's interested I listed the names of my own characters and what they mean below:**

SORA meaning "sky" (昊 / 空) - Japanese unisex name

RIKU meaning "land" (陸) - Japanese boy name

ARATA meaning "new, fresh" (新) - Japanese boy name

AIRI meaning "love jasmine" (愛莉) - Japanese girl name

CHIKAKO meaning "child of a thousand perfumes" (千香子) - Japanese girl name

HIROKI meaning "vast timber trees" (弘樹) - Japanese boy name

YUUTO meaning "gentle person" (悠人) - Japanese boy name

TSUKINO Japanese

Means "moon field"

HIMURA Japanese

Means "scarlet village" from hi meaning "scarlet" and mura meaning "village"

YOSHIDA 吉田, 芳田 Japanese

From 吉田 "lucky rice field" or 芳田 "fragrant rice field".

KATO Japanese

From ka meaning "add" and to meaning "wisteria", the latter syllable indicating a connection to the Fujiwara ("wisteria field") clan.

KOIZUMI Japanese

Means "little spring"

**INTRODUCTION:**

Name: Tsukino Sora (first name: Sora + last name: Tsukino)

Age: 16

Gender: Female

Appearance: Hair: Long, waist-length brown-auburn hair (so it's coloring is: mixed in copper browns/reds and bronze-golds); Eyes: almond-shaped, dark dark hazel eyes that are mainly chocolate brown but still have that hint of green; Skin: fair skin tone; Bra size: varies between B and C cup depending on what type of bra; Height: 5'4" Clothing: Day Class uniform, when not wearing that though, a pair of jeggings or skinny jeans with black converse, and big or small jackets- always wears a bracelet on her left wrist that her brother had made for her and given her on her 5th birthday (it's a tight, black-sprayed band- simple and plain)

Personality: down to earth and mature for her age, teasing at times, funny when she wants to be, kind and generous and tender-hearted-but if you get on her bad side she can hold one hell of a grudge and it's like you just let loose godzilla from her cage, untrusting of most people, social but only sees a handful of people as her TRUE friends, can have her extremely quiet moments and also her extremely crazy, daring, ferocious moments, cares more about other people than herself but still knows what's best for herself, adventurous and takes a lot of risks, acts tough and puts up a barrier that almost nobody can get past to see the breaking girl inside, not stupid or naive, highly intelligent actually, had to grow up on her own and quickly

Race: Human

Stature: Adoptive daughter of a teacher/retired vampire hunter; Prefect/Guardian of Cross Academy

Dorm: Sun

Class: Day

Weapon(s): twin blades strapped to both thighs, one bronze and one silver, the bronze named Atticus and the silver named Rem

Family: Tsukino Riku (brother), Tsukino Arata (adoptive-father & sensai)

Best Friend(s): Tsukino Riku, Cross Yuki, Kiryu Zero, Shiki Senri, Touya Rima

Friends: Himura Airi, Yoshida Chikako, Koizumi Yuuto, Aido Hanabusa, Kain Akatsuki, Ichijo Takuma, Cross Kaien(Headmaster Cross)

Crush: When there are so many choices, who are you to chose, right? She doesn't fully understand her feelings for anyone yet. Not romantically, at least.

People Disliked: Souen Ruka, Kuran Kaname

Enemies: Anyone who gives reason to be a danger to others

Likes: (she kinda contradicts herself- it normally depends on what mood she is in) adrenaline, winning fights, peace and quiet at times, being alone, action and adventure at times, being around others, reading and eating (books and food), music, having deep conversations (she believes in not wasting your words) storms, the outdoors, and the rain, sparring/testing her skills, freedom to do as you wish

Dislikes: a life without freedom, judgement, injustice, manipulation, people who have no reason behind what they do, people who refuse to see the error in their ways, being underestimated, awkward instances

**INTERVIEW:**

Yuki- "Is kind of like me, I think. I like to hang out with her because she and I think alike and have similar interests- Except she's way too naive and I feel like someone needs to always be there to protect her (eh-hem- ZERO) But yeah, she's like the baby sister I never had. And the only girl, who's a human and in the Day Class with me, that I can talk to about vampire matters."

Zero- "Zero is really attractive. I try to ignore it and work with him and act as though I'm just hanging out with anyone else, but really, I find everything about him so nice- like a breath of fresh air. He's like my other half- not in a romantic way really, but what I mean is he is the one person I feel truly understands my motives, and thoughts, and actions- and vice versa. I'm not really the jealous type, so I don't care if Yuki and him kind of have a thing, but I wish Yuki would wake up and SEE him. Just once. I get why he's so annoyed by her sometimes, I mean, we love her, but she can be a bit of an air head. She really is smart, but she often loses that part of herself to her own innocence. Poor Zero... I really feel for him. And now he has me to deal wth as well... wow, what a trooper he is. Not necessarily always a happy one though."

Riku- "Riku... oh dear god, what would I do without him. He's my rock. My older brother who tries to take all the hits for me. I get mad when he's too overprotective- I mean, I want to live my life and learn- but I love him so so much just for wanting to be there at my side, watching over me like he does."

Senri- "Ha-ha... Senri. One of my favorite people. He seems like he doesn't give a damn about anything, he's always got that impassive look on his face and he just does stuff like he's going through the motions. But he's a person- sure, a vampire too, but a PERSON- with feelings and locked away uncomforting thoughts and hurtful emotions. I get it. I lock myself away too... People think he's got no personality, but I love our comfortable silences, occasional short talks, and reading or snacking with him. Normally he's with Rima, so she's there with us too."

Rima- "She's like the girl version of Senri, but with more of a temper. Except I've always gotten along better with guys than girls, so me and her have a different relationship than I have with Senri. I like it when she's blunt with people because she puts them in their place quickly and abruptly and it's amusing. She's really smart and short tempered- also qualities that I possess... well, I'm not AS short-tempered as she is. I have the patience that she lacks, which often bugs her about me. I think she wishes she could be patient, but just, you know, CAN'T. Not with idiotic people, anyway. But I would say, all in all, that we work well together. She really is one of my best friends and her uniform always smells like Pocky."

Arata- "Only me and Riku ever see his kind side. And the headmaster, because they're friends. He's a very doting father and doesn't ever acknowledge that me and my brother don't REALLY belong to him. He sees us as his blood family, which is nice because it makes me feel like I belong. I don't even remember my real last name, I've always gone by Tsukino. He took me and my brother in when Riku was nine, I was seven. Though he's a lovely father figure, as a sensei, he's absolutely ruthless. Most of the students don't like him- both the Night and Day class students (he teaches both- though I think that the night class just dislikes him because of the fact he was a vampire hunter) And to be honest, I don't like his strict-teacher-side either. But I know that he's always been a big fan of hard work and perseverance. I try my best in his classes."

Headmaster Cross- "He's hilarious! Oh, he's just so sunny and perky and whenever I feel down, I like to visit him for tea just to feel better as he goes on and on about whatever it is he's obsessing over right then. If he weren't so old, we'd probably be best friends, like him and my father are."

Takuma- "Takuma Ichijo is a manga maniac. I've seen his collection in his and Senri's room. Also, he's got such a benevolent attitude for a vampire. He's definitely interesting, though I really only hang out with him because I'm with Senri so much, and those two are fairly close to each other, being roommates and all. But in the rare moments that me and Takuma are left alone, I never know what to expect him to do or say. I get this prompting I should get to know him better, but I'm more the type to let people come to me, though sometimes I just feel drawn to certain particular people, like Senri and Rima. I think... me and Takuma could be closer if we both wanted to be. Things are a little less than comfortable as they are, I mean he's nice and all, but sometimes we have our awkward silences. I hate anything awkward but no matter what I say it's still strangely uncomfortable. The only thing I can bring up with him in those situations is Manga, because that will keep him talking so I don't have to say much, which I like."

Aido- "He's either acting seductive, or flirty, or cheery, or lazy. And when he's not acting all 'Idol' ish, he can switch to being vindictive and discomforting. Hanabusa sure puts me out of my comfort zone, and I guess that's what he's best at. He's a big-time people person, and he's attractive like any of the Night Class students, so he always gets the attention he wants. Being the intuitive person I am though, I can see he's hiding a different persona underneath- he can show serious dedication to certain things and I admire it. I like to be around him, but at the same time I feel that he puts me a bit off-kilter. He's always getting himself and Kain into trouble, which is always fun to see how they are punished."

Kain- "He's really not as "Wild" as the fan girls think. He sure looks it though. To me, he's kind of like the strong, silent type, and he keeps Ruka and Aido and some of the others in check, or tries his best to with his words of warning. He also does the same to me, making me feel uneasy afterwards that I did something wrong and he called me out on it. His perceptiveness and alert senses and skills make him irresistibly attractive, and he reads into people so easily with those burnt-orange eyes of his, so sometimes, around him, I feel as if my thoughts are showing on my face. Since both he and Aido can make me feel uneasy and off-kilter, and they're almost always together, being around them sends me into a panic that I try not to show on my face. It's hard to enjoy hanging out with them when they're both so... intense."

Kaname- "Makes me uneasy as well. He's undoubtedly powerful and an intriguing figure, but that can be a scary thing. I despise how he belittles and underestimates Yuki- she is no child despite how she can act at times. He could play with your emotions, fool your mind, obscure your senses. How to go about him, I don't know, but his power and strangely-calm attitude are big, red, flashing DANGER signs to me. I get that to him, we are all disposable. Except Yuki. I'm pretty sure he's more arrogant than he wishes to let on, and that's off-putting too. I thought I liked him as a person, tried to for Yuki's sake, but I'm on Zero's side. Kaname Kuran isn't all too safe."

Ruka- "I could like her. If she wasn't so blindly following Kaname, and so clearly ignoring Kain's feelings for her. His love doesn't affect her and that hurts him, and Kain's a cool guy, I like him okay, and he deserves for her to treat him better. I don't like how Ruka practically throws herself at Kaname- I mean, has she no pride? No worth for herself in her eyes? It's shameful, and I'm a strong believer in self-empowerment, and she's just continually belittling herself. I wish I could help her, but she likes to glare at me and that keeps me back at times. I don't know why but maybe she's harsh with me because she knows I don't favor Kaname as she does so thoroughly?"

Airi- "Airi-chan's my roommate. We get along great, but she's a bit too fan-girly for my liking. Her favorite is Takuma, and when I told her how much he likes Manga, she started freaking out because she's a pretty big fan of that too. Despite her obsessiveness with the Night Class, she's so friendly it's freaky at times and she's very affectionate, which I guess I don't mind because I have my affectionate side too. I'm the road block in our relationship, I make sure we don't become too close as not to endanger her to the darker side of my world that she is and should stay oblivious to. Though we're not 'super best friends' if she got hurt on my account, I'd kill myself for it every day."

Chikako- "Is Airi's close friend, so we end up hanging out a lot. She fangirls over Senri and so I'm careful not to talk about all the times I hang out with him because she is indeed the jealous type. I never really liked her much after she shoved me to the ground to get past me and touch Senri's uniform as he was passing by with the rest of the Night Class one evening. And I get the feeling she doesn't like me, just for being a Prefect. She thinks of us prefects as arrogant, selfish snobs trying to keep the 'hotties' to ourselves. Come on, I mean, calm the fuck down, we're just doing our jobs."

Yuuto- "My brother's best friend. Since me and Riku started attending Cross Academy, Yuuto has been there for both of us. When we became prefects, me and my brother were worried we'd have less time to be around him, but Yuuto has been calm and understanding and he stays my brother's trustworthy and second-in-command. Riku likes to send Yuuto to stalk me when he's worried about me and busy with other things, thus began my steady and on-going game of 'hide-n'-seek' with my brother's best friend. It would be annoying... if Yuuto didn't have such a soothing aura. He's like that calm wave after a tsunami hits- and there are many 'tsunamis' hitting me again and again in the life I have to lead. When I'm on patrol so late at night, he somehow finds me, (I'm pretty sure he know's SOMETHING is up with the Night Class, he isn't stupid, though I'm sure he has no idea they're vampires) and he just asks me if I'm okay, and until I say yes he won't go back to his dorm. He's sweet, like a second brother to me. Just as over-protective as Riku."

Hiroki- "Kato Hiroki... hmm, I heard that he's one of the fairly-attractive guys in the Day Class. Don't really know him at all. Airi once said he has a crush on me, but I'm always dozing off in class, so I wouldn't really notice."

_**STORY TIME!**_

**Chapter One. Fatality**

My hair was being so uncomfortable today. It just wouldn't get out of the way, and I kept having to brush it behind my ears because I didn't have a hair tie.

"Huh?"

In front of my face is a pale, slender, girly hand holding a black hair tie for me to take. I look up to see Rima with 3 sticks of Pocky in her mouth wearing a blank expression- not looking at me but looking at the television screen in front of us, where it's showing a model runway show, probably her own. I gladly take the offering from her and pull my long hair back into a sloppily done ponytail, so that I can get back to reading the book in my hands without my thick hair obscuring my view.

Me, Senri and her are all in the commons area in the Moon Dormitory, sitting around just, basically, 'chillin'. Senri is on the floor by our feet, sprawled out and sleeping, his chest steadily rising and falling whenever I glance at him, his mahogany hair blocking my view of his face since it's turned to the left, away from me. He was tired because normally they'd be asleep in their rooms at this time of day (it was noon) but I had come over because it was Saturday and I had nothing to do and felt bored, and they didn't shoo me away. Meanwhile, Rima sits beside me on the elegant white couch, watching the tape her agent had asked her to review before her next shoot. And me- I'm sitting there, occasionally looking up from my book, just enjoying not being alone today. Though some days, I simply hate company, today was not one of them.

"Ooooh~, Sora~chan!"

Or maybe it was. I slammed my book closed and looked up to the stairs, where a certain blonde nuisance was descending at a cheerful pace.

"Hey, Aido." I sighed. He frowned slightly, and then glanced at Senri on the floor. He snickered.

"What'd you do, drug him?" He said, walking over to poke the darker-haired boy with his toe.

"Hanabusa..." Came the throaty groan from Senri, obviously bothered by the blonde vampire's wake-up call.

"So, Sora-chan, what brings you here? Come to see me, I presume?" All the while Aido was saying this to me, he continued to poke and prod poor, exhausted Senri.

"Aido, why aren't you in bed?" I asked him, refusing to answer his teasing questions.

*Poke *poke, *prod *prod

"Sorry to disappoint you Sora-chan, I didn't know you'd be coming to visit me in bed."

*Poke

"You're idiotic."

*Prod

"I am!"

*Cheesy smile, *poke, *po-

"STOP POKING!" Senri reached out and grabbed the ankle of his annoying classmate, and brought Hanabusa down hard on the floor with one swift jerk. Then, content, the sleepy boy turned his head again and went back to dozing at our feet.

"Ow." Aido mumbled, lying there dazed for a moment.

"What's going on?"

Aido was on his feet in a split second. I merely craned my neck to see the dark figure at the top of the stairs, and Rima turned the t.v. off quietly, apparently done with her modelling 'homework.' Senri started lightly snoring on the carpet.

"Sorry to wake you, Kaname-sama." I replied to the man who just stood with his hands gripping the railing above our heads, not making a move.

"Aido," He suddenly said in a dangerously calm tone. "Were you bothering our guest?" Then, switching to a more congenial tone, "And Tsukino-san, how nice to have you visit us today. It's nothing less than a pleasant surprise."

I shivered inwardly under his watchful gaze. Whatever he was saying, I bet he was thinking something else. Under that attractive smile and gaze lay a dark heart.

Before I could answer, Aido jumped and shook his head vigorously.

"I wasn't!" He mumbles quickly. "I was not being a bother to anyone, especially Sora-chan!"

Both me and Kaname smirked. Aido was fun to watch, no matter what he did. When my gaze went back to the top of the stairs, Kaname was turning away slowly.

"Alright, that's enough, Hanabusa."

He looked as if he was going to walk away, but stopped himself to glance, barely, over his shoulder at me.

"How's Yuki doing, Tsukino?"

"Same as ever-"

Suddenly, abruptly, the large doors just ahead opened up, wide, and slammed hard into each wall. There stood Zero, all silver hair, dark uniform, and lavender eyes. In the sunlight pouring in from behind him, his tattoo on his neck stood out like a beacon.

Trudging quickly inside and stepping past the now-wide-awake Senri, he grabbed my arm and helped me tumble to my feet before rushing back outside, speaking up with a harsh "I'll be taking her back now." before allowing the doors to pull shut behind us.

He pulled me along for what was long enough to make my arm sore in his tight grasp, and when we got deep into the trees he stopped so suddenly that I collided with his back. He turned on me with a stern look in his eyes.

"So. I couldn't find you." He grumbled harshly, not releasing my arm.

Instead of mumbling a 'Zero, you're hurting me' like Yuki would, I wrenched my arm from his grasp instead, rubbing the reddened skin where his hand had been.

"What the hell, Zero." I said it more as a sigh than in anger. Maybe I should just be submissive to his temper today, I was a bit tired myself. I thought of Senri easily lying back down on the soft carpet after I left, and felt envious.

His lavender eyes sparked, almost, like his anger was electrifying itself from inside his body. A sudden wave of worry overcame me. Though it should be worry for myself, it was directed at him, and he saw it and tried to calm himself.

"Do you always have to do things on your own? And without telling anyone where you're going? Your brother was worrying and barking at me and that friend of his. It got annoying."

I smiled. He glared.

"It's funny that you're being so hypocritical." I say, nudging him playfully. He felt stiff beside me, and his temper flared again.

"Hypo...critical?!" He said through gritted teeth, and then grabbed me again and dragged me past more trees, the sunlight skimming through the branches blinding me slightly. "Forget it. I'm taking you to the dorm to take a shower- you smell like them."

I jerked and stopped moving. He turned to face me, and I resisted smacking him. Instead, when my hand lifted itself, I pointed a finger.

"I know what it's like to hold a grudge. I do it all the time, and you have good reason to hate vampires, and I don't want to sound like a hypocrite myself. But honestly, Zero, if you continue to talk about my friends like that then I'll stop talking to you. And since I'm so good at holding a grudge, like I said, then that won't be all that hard for me."

"Come on, Sora-"

"Keep it in your head, okay?" I warned again, and he clamped his mouth shut as I brushed past him.

Suddenly, as if my body knows what is about to happen, something bad churning in my stomach, I break into a run and he calls out to me. I don't stop, and my hair slips from it's ponytail as I sprint in the direction that a loud crash resonates from somewhere in the trees. I was somehow expecting that. I don't have to check over my shoulder to know Zero's right on my tail, I can practically sense his tensed body prepping for any sort of attack, even though I'm a few feet ahead of him.

My blades are in my hands before I reach where the sound came from. Zero has longer legs than me, so he easily caught up to me and stepped ahead before the trees cleared up a bit and we came upon a bloody sight.

There is a girl on the ground, and someone that I recognize is crouched over her like an animal, staring at her neck. The trees around them were scraped of their bark, the branches broken and ugly-looking because of the scene below them. The girl wears the Day Class uniform, and her hair is white-blonde and long, the blood stained on it standing out clearly. Beside me, Zero gulps loudly, almost choking. I try to put a comforting hand on his back, but my eyes won't leave the ones that are now staring straight at me.

The person I recognized had pulled away from the girl's neck now. He wore the Day Class uniform as well, with a prefect cuff up by his shoulder on his arm. He had turned his head and, with deep green eyes, had stared right at me.

The person I recognized was my brother.

"R-Riku?!" I shouted, my brain heating up and going into overdrive. This wasn't possible, this was NOT-

His lips moved, his eyes widened in shock, fear, warning... but all I could see was stars. My knees were weak, and beside me, I thought I could hear Zero yell for me to get out of the way of something, a little too late...

Both my weapons fell with me to the ground. I was surprised it felt so cold down there despite the sunny day it was. The back of my head was thumping like mad and my stomach felt worse than queasy. When I put my hand to where the pain was on my belly, I felt a substance that was thick and warm on my hand.

"SORA!" Two voices shouted, and I felt myself go limp.

The last thing I can remember is a woman's voice saying that I was dead.

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**A/N: wow! So this is my first fanfic on FFN!**

**I'm also in the starting process of writing another fanfiction for a different anime/manga- Kaichou wa Maid-sama! But I can't upload it yet because it's very much a work in progress.**

**I have indeed never done this before- I am new to this sight so have mercy on my soul for messing up how I post my chapters and what not- I am still learning. **

**Anywho, thanks for reading, you rock for doing so, and I hope the story interests you!**

**Tah tah, my little readers. **

**CK :***


	2. Essential

**Chapter Two. Essential**

Two shadows standing by the large room's door turned into three, and then four. They stood there, silent, as shadows usually are.

"Hel-lo?" I croaked.

As if on cue, the shadows maneuvered away from the door and around me, and I looked up to look at each of them in turn.

The first face I saw was Riku, and I screamed, and then something clicked in my brain like an ON-OFF switch and I passed out again.

My dreams were haunted by mourning bells and caskets.

_"I am dead." I thought as I dreamt. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and my eyes opened, and I saw a grinning brother of mine drenched in crimson. I shook him off. I ran. I tripped and fell into a casket with my name on it. Swallowed in black darkness as the lid closed, I screamed until I lost my voice, and closed my eyes, willing myself to die..._

"Damn it, Sora- just stop shaking and wake UP!"

I shot out of my dreamy trance, groaning when my stomach felt like a white-hot furnace as I awoke. I looked around, expecting to see that the voice belonged to Zero, but instead I saw

"Taku...ma?"

He smiled gently, his hand coming to rest on mine. I winced at his green eyes, but knew they were very unlike my brother's- Takuma's eyes were a lighter green, my brother's were pine-colored. He noticed my wince, but did not pull back.

When he said nothing, I spoke.

"Very unlike your character to swear at a lady, or even at all, Takuma-san." I teased lightly.

His eyes crinkled from worry. "Are you okay, Tsukino?" He let go of my hand to hand me a glass of water.

I gulped greedily, nodding my head to answer his question. Then I stared around the room, trying to get my bearings. I recognized... the Headmaster's roomy office. I was on a couch pushed to the side of the room. The room was absolutely vacant except for me and Takuma. Speaking of him, he was now talking on a phone he pulled out of nowhere. I watched in curiosity, keeping my hands away from my stomach since it was the source of my pain.

"Tell Rima, too." Was what remained of the conversation I missed, and then he hung up the phone to look back at me. "That was Senri. He and Rima are worried about you, but they've only come to see you once, and you were still unconscious then. They've suddenly been very busy with their modeling careers, and they can't work around that and have even missed a bit of school, so don't feel bad. They want to see you tomorrow though, he just told me they made time for it. Actually, you waking up today was good timing- I think they're free for a few days or so now."

"Thank you, Takuma-san."

He smiled easily at me again, and touched my shoulder lightly.

"Of course, when they asked me to check on you for them, I obliged."

Not knowing how to respond, I yawned to get out of it. Then I asked him if he could help me to sit up, and he blushed wildly.

"You don't want to get up, Sora-san. You... in order to properly bandage the wound on your abdomen, they had to get your shirt out of the way, so all that's really covering you is this blanket..."

It was my turn to blush. I looked off to the side and nodded at his words.

"Who is 'they'? Doctors?"

He quickly jumps to babbling on about my- predicament.

"You were first taken to the Sun Dorm's hospital wing, but your wound was a bit too inconspicuous and the Day Class students would be asking too many unanswerable questions if they saw you, so when the doctor arrived- she's also a vampire hunter, it made everyone uneasy to see her at our school but she's skilled in medicine- we moved you to Headmaster Cross's wing of the school and you've been on this sofa for... about three days now. No one has really bothered you, except your father, Yuki, Zero, and your brother. Oh, and Rima and Senri that one time. Your roommate is-"

"Stop! For a moment, backtrack for me, Takuma-san. The last thing I remember is seeing my brother leaning over a blood-splattered student. And Zero was probably having a hunger fit beside me because of it. And someone had said I was dead..."

"Oh, you did die for the time it took before they could revive you. That's what the doctor said."

I stared at him blankly.

"I was... dead. Physically, dead? I was?" I sounded shocked, even to my own ears the fear was evident in my voice.

"Yes, _was_. For ten or, fifteen minutes, I think."

"Okay... okay. Okay." I thought I was going to start hyperventilating.

Apparently, he thought so too, because he handed me the water again to gulp down.

"And your brother, he was just doing his duties as a prefect. He wasn't attacking the girl, he was helping her, trying to see if she was still alive. He said he had been walking around when he stumbled upon a foreign vampire attacking her. He had been fighting off the girl's attacker and said the vampire had disappeared when you and Zero showed up, and he had ran to the girl to check if she was alright. Then he said he saw the attacker behind you and Zero, a near-Level E vampire, and that it had jammed something sharp into your lower back and through your stomach... the wound wasn't big enough to be too damaging, but you lost so much of your blood..."

He trailed off, shuddering. Instinctively, I cupped a hand around my neck.

"Is the student dead?"

No response. Then- a nod.

"Shit... And my roommate? Has she been worried sick these past few days? Or was she falsely informed of my... about what happened to me?"

Nodding, his eyes looked to mine again. "She was told you were hurt while patrolling the grounds, doing your job. And that you had to stay out of your dormitory completely in order to heal in peace and quiet. They told her not to worry about you or bother you."

A sudden thought occurred to me. Worry creased my brow as I asked; "How's Zero?"

"Why don't you ask me yourself?"

Takuma blocked my view of the door, but I didn't have to try to find Zero, because he was in front of me in a few steps.

"Zero-"

"Aren't you missing your classes? It's late."

The blonde stood back from the silver-haired boy- the room's atmosphere became tense and uncomfortable for one long moment, until Takuma spoke.

"Oh, you're right. I should be going, bye, Tsukino."

"Bye."

My voice quietly filtered through the room after him, and then he closed the door, leaving Zero to me.

"Oh my god... Zero, I..." I sighed and closed my eyes, everything that Takuma had just said to me sinking in with a powerful effect. I suddenly felt exhausted, despite my lengthy, 3-day sleep. And my 10-15 minute loss of life.

"Yuki just about had a panic attack over you."

I opened my eyes again, and saw him with his head turned away, staring to far-off places out the darkened window. I wanted to touch him, to hold his hand, but I was afraid of breaking him. He looked so broken- he sort of always did. I bet he was once compassionate. I bet he was once happy. But vampires took that from him, just as one took my life from me, if only for a short time. But Zero, he lost his family. His parents, and his twin brother. I really have hardly one memory of my real parents, but if someone killed my brother, that would leave a scar on me forever. A scar that would never heal...

"Zero, can you give me your shirt?"

He quickly turned his head, a look of shock and what-the-hell-are-you-talking-about plastered on his face. I just shrugged, reaching for him.

"Please. I feel like we could both use a hug, but I can't hug you since there's nothing to cover up my chest."

I have to admit, in the time I've known this boy, I'd never seen him blush. Sometimes, his face will turn red if he's enraged enough, but he just never blushes. Well, as he unbuttoned his shirt, I didn't miss the pink glancing across his face. He handed his white shirt to me, and I carefully, carefully sat up as he turned himself away. When I finished buttoning up the shirt, I eased my legs off the couch and reached to touch his hand- my eyes got lost at his bare back- I sure didn't think this through. Taking a deep breath, I squeezed my eyes shut and gripped his hand, willing him to turn to face me.

He made a sound like a laugh. "You don't have to close your eyes, it's not like I'm full-out naked."

I opened my eyes and he easily pulled me up off the couch. Before either of us reached an arm out, I stared at him closely.

"Be... gentle." I said, blushing when he, almost too carefully, wrapped me into a hug.

"I'm not stupid." He said beside my ear.

A quick rush of hot and cold ran through my entire body, and I thought I may pass out again, so I held him closer, needing his steady build to hold me there. He made a surprised sound in his throat, but allowed it.

"Zero, tell me why." I say, my breath tickling his shoulder as I talk. That reminds me, had anyone been brushing my teeth for me these past three days? Jeez, I would need to find the bathroom after this, the taste in my mouth wasn't all too tasty.

"Why what?"

"Why you think you're such a danger to everyone- a danger to Yuuki. A danger to me. Why would you think that?"

He grunted. "I am. I know I am." He hugged me a bit tighter, but I was glad when it didn't hurt my wound. We needed to be this close to each other right now. We both needed a person that understood.

"You're wrong. You're a danger to yourself, Zero. Yuuki told me about when you almost... killed yourself."

He choked and pulled away with a scowl.

"Death isn't something to talk about so freely, Sora. What do you even know?"

We were both taken aback for a moment. I knew I looked angry because he looked ashamed.

"Oh, I don't know what I know. Except, mere moments ago, I was told I DIED. I don't-" I choked, and the tears behind my eyes were evident in the sound of my voice.

"You don't what?" He was trying to be angry with me too, but even he sounded hurt.

"I don't even know if I deserved to come back... to life..." I looked away. A tear dropped to the floor, unnoticed by him, since I let my long sheen of dark hair get in the way, obscuring my face.

It wasn't expected, but he hugged me again, this time from behind, pulling me lightly to his chest. I cried silently for a few minutes like that, the only way he could tell I was is the way my body shook while pressed so close to his. When I still couldn't stop and some time passed, he put a hand to my head and sort of ruffled my long hair, messing it up even more thoroughly. I'd watched him do this to Yuki before, and it was something that both felt and looked like an affectionate gesture. I stopped crying and broke away from him, feeling a tad guilty for soiling his shirt with all of my self-pitied tears. When I wiped my eyes and turned around, the door was clicking shut at the other end of the room.

I sighed. He had stormed out on me. He always seemed to do that when things got over-emotional.

I didn't blame him. It was easier to walk away and deal with things silently, alone, without another person to worry about you having any affect on with your words or gestures or the way you looked at them.

But... for once, having a companion in my time of need almost seemed essential.

* * *

**If I were to ask one thing. It would just be... this...**

**will somebody make me some breakfast? I'm very hungry.**

**The 2nd thing I would say is please review and tell me whatever you think :)**

**Now good day to you. I'm makin' waffles! Not really, I wish.**


	3. Pocky For Your Troubles?

**Chapter Three. Pocky For Your Troubles?**

I stepped out of the shower feeling extremely refreshed. Wiping lingering droplets of water from my face, I stared into the long mirror, it's edges just steaming up, and watched my sad, dark eyes with slight interest.

Had I looked like this last night too? I looked... defeated.

It was the day after I woke up on the couch that night. After Zero had left, I had fallen back asleep on the couch. I woke up earlier in the morning than usual (guess I really was well-rested) and had gone for the bathroom, brushing my teeth and peeing and what not. I had gotten into the shower down the hall at what the clock on the wall had said 8:00. Putting Zero's shirt back on (it was the only shirt I had with me) and the soft, hospital scrub-type pants that I had been sleeping in, I twisted my damp hair over my shoulder and walked out the door. The clock in the hallway now read 8:20 or so.

"Soooorrrraaaa!"

After hearing my name said in that matter, I knew exactly who was behind me before I had to turn around to see. Only the Headmaster said people's names as if there was always a giant smiley face on the end.

"Ah, Headmaster..." I said as he stopped in front of me, smiling wide.

"You have visitors! They're in my office- come on, come hurry! It's so good to see you doing so well! I see you showered on your own- that's good! It means you have your strength back, right? That's so GREAT! You know, I knew you'd be better in no time, look at you~!"

My head spun dramatically as he lead me back up the hall to his office. Was he trying to make my brain hurt?

Before I could tell him to calm himself, we walked through the open doors to his office, and Pocky scents enveloped me. In front of me stood two handsome vampires, one a petite girl with orange locks tied up in slight pigtails and the other a boy a bit more than a few inches taller than her with shaggy mahogany hair.

Senri reached out to put a hand on my shoulder in a light and friendly manner, and Rima stepped closer, Pocky in her mouth as usual, and offered some out of the box with her to me. She took the Pocky from her mouth to speak.

"Penny for your thoughts? You must have a lot on your mind and a lot to say after not speaking for three days. Ignoring us was rude."

"Pocky for your troubles?" Senri corrected, smiling slightly at his words.

I took two from the box, thinking it funny that it's the first thing I'll be eating since I woke up after three days, and then the two of them led me out the door, the Headmaster waving cheerfully behind us. He probably thought, seeing me and them getting along so well, that his vision of humans and vampires living in harmony was taking a lovely step forward. No wonder he was more annoying and hilariously chipper than usual.

We walked in comfortable silence, until we reached the pair of front doors that lead outside and Senri bent and picked me up, cradling me like a baby.

Surprised, I did nothing.

"You can tell us what's on your mind later, right now we have to get past our fans. You have no idea what it took for us to get here untouched." Rima told me, and that's when I heard the squeals coming from the other side of the door. I listened for a moment, and what I heard terrified me.

"Senri~ Come baaaack!"

"Rima-chan is too cute! I have to ask her how she always looks so perfect!"

"Kyaaaa!~ Yeah, I know! I wish I could be best friends with her! Then I could also get closer to Shiki-kun~!"

"I'm totally gonna marry him someday!"

"I prefer that Kuran Kaname, but Shiki-san is just as handsome kya~!"

"Yeah~! That Senri _is_ a model, after all~!"

I looked up, wide-eyed, at Senri. He looked a bit baffled, with a why-do-these-girls-obsess-over-me-I-don't-understa nd-my-appeal look on his face. Then he looked down at me, and his grey-blue eyes gave me a different look, one that was more of an apology.

"Wait... we don't REALLY have to get past them, right?" He almost smirked, and looked away.

"What else are we supposed to do idiot?" Rima said, her temper flared just listening to the nuisances outside.

"But why is Senri-"

"Senri has to hold you because you can't run, dumb-ass."

"Isn't this more dangerous? If they see him holding me they'll kill me Rima!"

"Not our problem."

And with that, she kicked open the doors. I hid my face in Senri's shoulder, part of the reason to hide my face so the fans didn't recognize me, and the other reason because I was trying to cover my ears as an eruption of screams attacked my poor ear drums.

_**"KYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"**_

Senri rushed out of the doors, cradling me carefully as he pushed away from the majority of the girls. I swear, some of them hissed at me, like rabid cats or something. Then, out of nowhere, another eruption of cheers and girlish yelps sprung forth.

"Don't worry, I called backup." I heard Rima assure me over the noise.

"Helloooo~! Ladies!"

_'AIDO THANK GOD.'_ I thought as the girls screamed again.

"IDOL! Idol, shoot, me, shoot me!"

I turned my face to look back at a smirking, flirtatious blonde that threw out his arm in front of him, pointed his fingers at a particular girl like a shotgun, and said in a silky, sweet voice; "Bang!"

I watched as half of the monstrous girls fainted. Then Aido looked up and caught my eye, there was a glint in his eye that I knew said 'you owe me one' and then he turned back to his fans, having to skid away from a girl who almost jumped onto his back. Another girl pulled out a pair of scissors, and was creeping up to snip off a bit of his uniform.

Yeah, I'd say I actually _did_ owe him for this. Big time.

* * *

(In the Moon Dormitory's library, at a later time in the day)

Aido burst through the doors, frantic, his head turning this way and that. I slunk back behind the bookcase I had been inspecting for a good book, hoping to avoid him.

From my peeping hole between two books, I watched him look to Rima, who had her back on the floor with her legs up against the desk next to her, her nose buried in a book. When she made no notion to talk to him or even acknowledge him, his gaze fell on Senri, who was reaching to the box of Pocky on the table, his elbow propped on the table and his cheek propped up on his hand, looking bored with a whole pile of books set about him.

And then, abruptly, his electric-blue eyes found me.

"Shit..."

_"You."_ He breathed, and before I could flee, both my wrists were suddenly frozen to the bookcase (literally) and he approached me with a sinful look.

"Hai?" I tried to look innocent.

He was quick to break my icy bindings with each hand, before dragging me forcefully from the room. Rima eyed me once, then got back to reading. Senri stood, following us out the door, probably just to quench his boredom.

"What're you doing, Senri?!" Aido pulled me behind him to confront the bored boy.

"What are you doing?" Senri asked, looking as blatant as ever.

"I have been outside being chased half the day by girls that are much more vicious and rough than they look! And it's Sora's fault so I'm punishing her now."

"I thought you liked being chased by pretty young women."

"I- well, yes, at times-"

"So then why are you upset?"

Aido released his grip on me to hold Senri by the lapels of his shirt.

"Why. You. Little-"

"Didn't she do you a favor then, Aido?"

Senri glanced at me for a moment as I stood there, and then calmly looked back at the blonde who started to shake him by the collar. I realized that I now owed Senri one too, and then as silently as I could snuck backwards down the hall, quickly entering the first room I came upon. The last thing I could hear was: "I am not a morning person and I've been up since nine! Don't make me even more pissed!"

I sighed, glad for my escape, and turned around in the dark room.

"Mm... Senri, if you need something from the room just grab it already. I'm (*yawn*) sleeping..."

I froze. Staring at a very bedridden Takuma Ichijou, his light blonde hair ruffled in a sexy manner, the sheets pulled down to just around his hips, showing a glance of his blue boxer shorts and much of his exposed back. He was face-down against the pillow, but his head moved to the side, away from me, as he yawned again.

I decided against leaving, since I could faintly hear a certain blonde vampire still yelling at Senri through the door. But I also didn't want _this_ blonde vampire to see me either, so I debated for a moment. I could walk over to Senri's side of the room and get into bed, pretending to fall asleep, but that could be risky because Takuma might try to talk to me or he could just decide not to fall back asleep and get up and see me and that would be extremely awkward because... I'd be in his roommate's bed.

My other option was to fake an exit. Much better choice of the two. Padding along the carpet, I made a noise at Senri's dresser grabbing the half-eaten box of Pocky from it, and then I walked back to the door, opened it a bit, (but not too much so Aido would notice in the hall) and then closed it without leaving the room. I tried to breathe as quietly as I could while I stood there, unable to help my gaze that wandered to Takuma's lean body. I squeezed my eyes shut and noticed I was sweating. Jeez, could a girl get a break?

I almost laughed. There were two boys fighting about me in the hallway, and I stood in a third boy's room, watching his sleeping form on the bed. And all three boys were beautiful. Any girl in the entire world would pretty much kill to be me right now.

"Why are you still here?"

My adrenaline spiked. Shit shit shit shit shit damnit he knew I was still here?! And the shouting in the hall still hadn't stopped...

"Senri, do you need something besides your sacred Pocky?"

He sounded more awake now, though he hadn't yet moved from the bed. I racked my brain for an idea. I almost laughed at what I came up with, and then acted upon it.

I heard him walk past me and turn on the light switch. Though I couldn't see his face, his socks were slipping by my vision here and there as he circled around the room, probably searching for Senri.

"Hmf."

The door opened, I heard the shouting from the hall, and then it closed. Silence followed...

I panicked for a moment. If Takuma confronted Senri in the hall about being in the room while Aido was there, Aido would say he'd been yelling at him the whole time and finally notice I was gone, they'd all come in here to find me hiding under Senri's bed (like a coward!) Plus Takuma would know I saw him sleeping like that, and I'd owe Senri even more for disturbing his privacy (there was porn magazines under the bed with me- who would've thought, out of all the boys, that Senri was a pervert? Well... I bet all guys are like that, so it's only natural) AND I'd have to face Aido's wrath... this time with no way out.

I sighed and wiggled my way out from under the bed. I might run, I may confront them like I should, or I'll make up an emergency and tell them I have to go before anything can happen.

"Sora?"

I froze as I stood up, my back turned slightly away from the voice. Turning my head a bit, I could see Takuma standing beside the door as I had been a little bit ago.

Before I could even think to speak, he flicked the lock on the door. I looked at him, turning all the way around to face him, curious, and then he turned off the lights.

I had no idea what was going on.

"Tak-"

I shut my mouth when he put one slender finger to his lips and the door shuddered behind his back, someone knocking harshly on the wood.

"Whaaat." Takuma groaned. I caught on quick and stayed dead-silent. He grinned at me, and I knew he wanted to help me, thank god.

"TAKUMA IS SORA IN THERE?!"

If Aido sounded pissed before, he sounded murderous now. I pictured Senri, frozen to the wall by Aido's ice after he realized I'd snuck away from him during their argument. I shook my head of the thought- Senri was strong too, he probably got away. I feel guilty for him having to be yelled out for my sake, though.

"Hanabusa, why on earth would she be in here?"

"Becaaauuuse-" He shook the door handle desperately, whining now.

"HANABUSA, I'm resting. Go away and spout your nonsense to someone who's not trying to sleep."

Silence followed. I was about to speak up, but then Takuma waved a hand at me to not and he pounded a fist against the door. A yelp resounded from the other end.

"Go check somewhere else and stop hovering by my door!"

I imagined a quiet Aido, rubbing his ear and walking away defeated. I'd have to not only repay Aido and Senri, but now also Takuma. This list was getting dangerously long, maybe I should stop visiting the Moon Dorm for awhile...

"Arigatō." I sighed and stood there, looking at the door in relief.

"What happened?" He asked me, curious as anyone would be. Then he smiled wide and I looked at him from across the room. "You hid underneath his bed... that was funny."

Something told me that he knew about the porn stashed there. I glared at him, and then my gaze couldn't help but lower itself- he was still only in his boxers and a pair of socks! I blushed and looked away quickly.

"Sorry Sora-san, do you want something?"

"I WANT you to put your pants on..."

He shuffled about while I stood still, hiding my face with my trail of hair. The lights were still off, but the room wasn't so dark that it blocked the look on my face without the help of my hair. He finally cleared his throat, sounding much closer to me now, and I looked up into a pair of startling peridot eyes.

"I'm still tired." He plainly stated while staring down at me.

It had never really occurred to me how tall he was. Taller than Senri and Aido, but shorter than Kain. I think he was the same height as Zero, actually, with my head just below his collarbone. Wait... his... collarbone. I sucked in a breath but acted as normal as I could. He'd put pants on, but had left his chest bare.

"I can leave now... since Aido isn't in the hall anymore." I say, averting my gaze to stare at the side of his face, not wanting to see that tired look in his eye, almost seductive...

* * *

**Okay so this is actually both a T and M rated story, because i'm just like that. There's really nothing that _M _yet, but there will be. I'll repetitively give you fair warning about this in the future.**

**Cya!**

**CK :***


	4. There's zero chance that Zero won't noti

**Chapter Four. There is zero chance that Zero won't notice it. Whatever.**

"What I don't understand is why a Level E would attack in broad daylight on campus grounds." I take another bite of my dinner.

"Correction- he wasn't a Level E yet, but was close to it. Can we please stop talking about it now? I just want to enjoy the company of my sister who is NOT dead."

"Bringing that up at dinner Riku? How cheerful."

"Dad? What are you doing, I thought you had class tonight?"

I look up from my dinner box, which happens to be sitting on a cold stone wall with myself tiptoeing to reach it. Yes, even us prefects have to have our food, and though we can't work it around our job, we find a way.

I watch my adoptive father closely. He honestly looks nothing like me and my brother, and people notice the lack of similarity in our features. Arata has a long, oval-shaped face- mine and Riku's faces are square, though since I'm a girl I have softer, gentler edges than my brother has.

His nose is beaked, and mine is small and buttony while my brother's is long and straight. Arata has long, curly sandy-colored hair, and both my and Riku's hair is straight with the slightest wave near the ends, and a deep auburn-brown with multiple colors mixed in. His eyes are large, wide like an owl's and the color of wheat, while my eyes are almond-shaped and dark hazel-brown and my brother's are even narrower and pine-green.

The only thing we have in common is our fair skin tone, easy-going smiles, and stubborn determination.

"I'm late. I'm just heading to the Moon Dormitory now. Eating outside, I see? Watch for bugs."

His gaze lands on me, his golden eyes giving me that doting-father look. Then, approaching me, he leans down and places a gentle kiss on my forehead, smoothing my hair.

"Try not to die again, okay? Especially while on night patrol- we need you out here."

I nod vigorously- the only time I act naive, little, and innocent is around this man. It's the same way Yuki reacts to Kaname, which is weird but true. That's part of the reason why I think it's so strange that she could love him- how could you love someone you look up to and respect, someone you see on a higher ground than others and yourself? That feels like a fatherly love to me, like... family. A respectful, familiar love.

Not that I would know, but I imagine real true love to be spontaneous, foreign to your system, unsettling because it's so intense. Something that could increase the star's beauty, pull you under completely in it's waves of beautiful passion, and make you freak out at it's first feelings because the new effect it has on you scares you, but somehow calms you at the same time.

I'm quickly snapped from my reverie when I realize that Arata has already left to climb the steps ahead and disappear around the corner. I look up to find the stars, and as my eyes pass the large window overhead I look to that instead, finding a pair of stoic, light green eyes staring through the pane.

Their staring causes me to become flustered, and look away. I would not think about earlier today... not when I had to focus on my duties!

"Riku? I'm done eating."

I look to my brother, who looks at me while slurping a long string of noodles into his mouth, bent over his dinner box. I giggle and tap him lightly on the shoulder, pushing my own box over to him. I know how much he likes food.

"How about you finish for me, and I'll go ahead and check the perimeter?"

A nod, and then he's slurping noodles from my dinner. You'd think he'd never seen food before... sheesh.

Checking that Rem and Atticus (my blades) are secure near my hips, I hop over the edge of the stone wall and skid downward, leaping slightly at the last moment to land properly on my feet in the grass in a crouch. Wincing slightly because my wound hurts when I bend down like I am, I straighten myself and begin my pace around the trees, listening close and rejoicing in the freshness in the air, with the added warmed breeze. It was a fantastic night to be out on patrol.

"Hnn..."

Suddenly I have to stop. I lean my head forward, trying again for that slight sound.

"Mrrmm..."

I turned to my left and walked a ways into the trees. When I saw the pale hand peeking out from behind the trunk of a particularly large tree, I quickened my pace until I was in front of whoever it was.

It was Zero. Asleep.

Taking my silver blade in my hand, this one being Rem, I ran my fingers over it once and then slammed it straight into the grass- directly between his spread-out legs.

He awoke with a jolt and a grabbed at my body. He clasped onto my neck with his left hand and the blade in the ground with his right. Rem sparked when Zero touched it, because he's a vampire and it's a hunter weapon, and so Zero pulled back his right hand, making a surprised sound, while his left hand squeezed my throat with more force. When he fully collected himself and woke up, he finally paid heed to my small hands clawing at his left arm, and his eyes widened as he looked at me. He released me in a split-second, pulling back against the tree to give me some space.

"Remind me... never... to surprise... you- again-" I gasped, collapsing on his knee.

"Sorry- I, don't really like surprises." He sounded awkwardly apologetic.

"No... no kidding."

I knelt back and curled my legs into my body, crossing one with the other, rubbing my sore (and probably bruised) throat. "I thought if anyone deserved a break while on the job, it would be me. I am the only one of us who's wounded and still trying to recover."

Suddenly, he leaned forward, pressing his forehead to mine. He let his cheek brush mine, and then his nose was in my collar, smelling me. He pulled my hand from my throat and grasped it while he pulled back and looked directly into my eyes.

"Want to know why I attacked you like that?"

His gaze was too serious. Scary serious. I could tell mixed emotions were buried underneath somewhere.

"Yeah, because I surprised you, right?" I hoped that was right.

He shook his head, his hair cutting in front of one of his lavender eyes. Then, in all seriousness, he got closer and said; "I smelled a vampire, and it sure as hell wasn't me."

Deciding to make it not seem like a big deal, so he wouldn't press me for the details, I looked him right in the eyes, smirking. But inside my whole soul felt stripped bare, making lies near-impossible.

"Of course. That's Takuma, or possibly Senri. Might also be Hanabusa or Rima. I was with them for most of the day."

His gaze glared.

"No. I mean you _really_ smell like a vampire. Not just faintly, like you would if you were walking through their halls and passing Pocky sticks with them."

"Zero, you're going to have to be more clear. None of them bit me, if that's what you think. You can check for the bite marks if you want. And it's not like I had sex with-"

"That's exactly what it's like! His scent is all over you, clouding your own!"

It was my turn to glare.

"That's quite the accusation. Tell me, do you think I'm actually interested in anyone? Because I wouldn't sleep with them if I wasn't."

"How would I know?!"

"You know me more than enough to know!"

"All I _know_ is that you stink like him!"

"I already told you to be more clear! Who the hell are you thinking I slept with?"

At my words he leaned close again, inhaling deeply into my neck, fondling my hair and sniffing it. The touches made me shiver.

_"Takuma."_ He finally growled.

My jaw dropped and he pushed it back up when he pulled away.

"I'm not kidding." He said, staring.

My thoughts became crowded as my mind did a flashback to earlier today...

_A bare chested, tall and handsome blonde stood before me, his lashes dipping ever lower past his green gaze._

_"I can leave now... since Aido isn't in the hall anymore." I say, averting my gaze to stare at the side of his face, not wanting to see that tired look in his eye, almost seductive..._

_"Sora, are you interested in me?"_

_I jolted a little because of the unexpected question._

_"Sora, you're beautiful..." He then said, grabbing my wrists and pulling them behind his back, keeping me close._

_I choked, feeling his warm skin and his hardened stomach against me like that._

_"Are you nervous, Sora?" He asked, and then bent his head to dip his face into my shoulder, over the fabric of my shirt._

_"Not really..."_

_"But you haven't even noticed that I continue to call you by your first name. Without honorifics."_

_"Yeah, I guess I didn't notice that." I blurt, suddenly now realizing._

_Carefully, he pulls me closer and dips his chin into my collar, pulling it back a bit before resting his lips to just below my neck. I jolt again in his arms._

_"Does this..." He opened his mouth and pressed his teeth to it. I could tell his fangs were out, but he wasn't pressing hard enough to cut my skin. "Hurt?"_

_I didn't respond, not fully aware of what I should do._

_"Or no?" He asked._

_"Takuma, what-"_

_"Tell me now, Sora-chan, does this hurt?"_

_"Well it's not like you're biting me-"_

_"Then this does?"_

_And with that he added more pressure, I felt the prick on my skin like a needle, a miniature dagger, and then even I, without any super-senses, could smell my own blood as it rose to the surface of my skin. He hadn't bitten me- only used the tip of one fang to press into my sensitive skin, and though I wasn't sure where things were going, I was just glad he hadn't bitten down._

_Takuma licked his tongue over the drop of blood forming at the crook of my neck, and licked his way upwards still, causing me to, again, jolt back in his arms, but this time not from shock but because of pleasure._

_"I don't want to hurt you... that didn't hurt, right?"_

_"Not compared to the pain I felt before dying..." I mumbled, not really thinking clearly of what to say._

_At these words he pulled away, watching out for my stomach wound for the first time. He hadn't pressed hard against that portion of my body though, so it felt fine, wrapped up snugly in its bandages beneath my shirt._

_"Oh. Right, we can't do anything because you're still healing from your wound."_

_I hope what I think he meant by that is wrong in my mind. The door was locked and the lights were off. It was dark with the curtains drawn, and we had the room to just the two of us. There were two big bed's just sitting there, neither occupied, and no one would think to bother checking up on this room because half the household was asleep and those who were awake knew not to bother Takuma..._

_Was he seriously going to throw me on his bed and take me, just like that? What would have happened if I hadn't reminded him of the fragile state my body was in?_

_"Takuma-sama," I say, pushing my palms against his chest to put some distance between us. "You weren't really going to... I mean, you're not really the type... to..."_

_"What are you saying, Sora?" With these words he lifted me up as if I weighed nothing, and placed me carefully onto his bed sheets. He slipped in beside me, gently avoiding my stomach and placing his arms all the way around my shoulders, pulling my back into his crunching stomach as his long body outlined mine and curved into every one of my own curves._

_"Ta-uh."_

_I was cut off when he pulled my hair back to one side and lapped at the same spot on my neck again, making sure to lick at the blood dripping leisurely down to the insides of the shirt I'm wearing, keeping it from staining the white of Zero's shirt- which, after leaving the Headmaster's place so abruptly with Rima and Senri, I hadn't had the chance to change out of. Thinking of the clothing on me being his also reminded me of him, his silver hair and the way he would pull at it, yanking it out in bits when he found out what was happening between me and Takuma. That stern look in his eyes would penetrate me, and I knew he couldn't know... he was already on bad terms with the Night Class as things were without Takuma being so intimate with me. If he knew, he'd hate my friends even more._

_"Stop- Takuma-san stop." I say suddenly when his hands find my breasts, which are only covered by the buttoned shirt since I'm still wearing no bra underneath. He removes his hands, but his tongue has other plans as it continues to lick up and down my neck, lightly along my shoulder... it felt nice, and hot..._

_"No... r-really... stop altogether."_

_Being the gentleman that he is, he listened to me and stopped, pulling his head up to the pillow._

_"You really are torturing me." He sighed, while we both tried to calm our bodies down._

_I suddenly felt overwhelmingly exhausted. The words "but you lost so much of your blood..." popped into my head- words he had said to me. I turned to look at him, and I must have had the loss of energy showing in my eyes because he smiled gently and pulled the pillow down lower, to accommodate my head as well. I was glad he'd licked my wound clean and healed it away- I didn't want him taking anymore blood from me._

_"You can rest here until you feel stronger, okay?" He said, guilt barely evident in his tone._

_How much of my blood did he take?_

_"You must be tired still too, Takuma-san..." I whispered as my eyes shut._

_He blew a cool breath into my ear. "That's why I'm in bed here with you."_

"Hey Sora, wake up for god's sake!"

I felt a hand on my shoulder before my eyes could completely shut, and then I started to come back.

"I didn't sleep with him... but I did _sleep_ with him." I blurted out, blinking and looking at Zero. It was my turn to be deadly-serious.

He sighed. "That bastard..." he muttered under his breath.

"You get what I mean, then?"

"Yeah, yeah. You're an idiot for leading him on, you know?"

I blushed when I thought back to how those fangs grazed my skin.

"I was kind of... helpless, considering the situation, Zero."

His lavender eyes widened, and I could practically see what image implanted itself in his mind. Probably something like the tall, lean body of the blonde vampire holding me beneath him, toying with me, pinning me down, crushing his hips to mine, leaning in...

"-THE HELL DID HE DO TO YOU?!"

I shook my head clear, hearing the rest of Zero's outburst and smiling weakly.

"Don't freak out, it wasn't like he attacked me."

"I'LL CALM DOWN WHEN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED."

"Okay. He just had a little bit of my blood, but he didn't bite me, just pierced me a little and- WHAT?!"

Zero was shaking his head from side to side, his eyes sparkling with evil diamonds of despise.

"And here I thought you weren't even half as naive as Yuki. But look how stupid you've been lately."

I brought up my hand, and smacked him. His jaw and cheek were red just after I pulled my hand back.

"Are you saying that it's my fault I was attacked by that vampire a few days ago?! Believe me, if I could have stopped what happened, I would have! Do you think I like worrying everyone? Do you believe that I'm that arrogant, that I could be that needy, that lusting of attention, that _self-centered and uncaring?!_ Is that what you believe, Zero?!" I gasp, realizing how loud I'm being when I see his face. Lowering my voice and going into mature-business-tone-calm mode, I continue before he can step in. "And as for today... you know, I've always been tough. But in the state I've been in lately, I've felt weak and I hate to admit that. I've needed people as my support, not just myself for once. And things got out of hand... I was trying to avoid Aido, and somehow I ended up with Takuma there with me, with his arms around me... arms that held the protection I've been craving. And I don't even know how much blood he took from me, and I hate myself for allowing it to happen, and I fell asleep, leaving myself as such an easy target... All I can think now is how glad I am that he holds so much pride in being a gentleman. But really, I was weak. Sickeningly weak. And I detest my stupidity and weak state of mind and fragile body."

I leaned backward with my palms in the grass, away from him, tears stinging at the very corners of my eyes. And meanwhile, he said nothing. My side and stomach throbbed a bit, but I ignored it.

The silence helped me to calm down though, and I wiped the corners of my eyes with my fingers before leaning forward again. But now, Zero was standing up, and all I was met with was his long, elegant legs in front of me.

"I have a feeling this is more than just about today and the last few days."

Why was he so good at noticing things?

"...Because you wouldn't dare open up like that unless there was a whole life's worth of pain you haven't released. I... should know."

With those words, he picked me up, hooking one slender arm under my knees and the other at my waist as he turned in a different direction and began to walk.

I should leave it at that, but my last sentence had been cut off when I had to avoid crying.. So I opened up again for him.

"But for god's sake, Zero, cut me some slack. I could have been gone for good... I died... because I let my guard down out there and, I still think that... maybe it would have been better, if..." I trail off and turn my head into his chest, tears coming despite my efforts at stopping them.

He might have gripped me tighter then. I'm not too sure I noticed correctly.

"If they were unable to bring you back you would be dead for good. That's a finality neither of us can overlook. We have to try to not take the easy way out, Sora. That'd be too selfish. We have to keep going, and just hope it gets better after it gets worse."

"And if-"

He shakes his head.

"Too many 'ifs'."

Silence. I feel like I'm going to fall asleep listening to his heartbeat, but I can't sleep no matter how exhausted my tears and emotional breakdown have made me.

_And if it doesn't get better after it gets worse?_ I think quietly to myself.

"If, though, it doesn't get better after it gets worse," He repeats from my mind, holding me even closer to him. This time I do notice it. "Then we have each other to help the other carry on." He finished firmly.

Zero isn't a cheesy person in the slightest. I know that was a line taken straight from his heart, and my face gradually warms in temperature because of knowing this.

"Hey Zero?"

"Yeah?"

"You know you're being serious, right? About what you just said?

"Yeah."

"You... do know I'm not Yuki, right?"

"...Yeah."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Sora."

"And Zero?"

"What?"

"You're an idiot." I say, smiling into his shirt.

"Whatever."

"And don't ever call me stupid again."

"Whatever."

"You're mean, too."

"Whatever."

"And you always repeat yourself."

"Whatever."

"Also, I kind of hate you a little..."

"Whatever."

"But I'm sorry I slapped you."

"Whatever."

This conversation carried on until they reached the Sun Dorm, traveled up to the girl's dormitories, and all the way until the door shut between them, their parting words being a 'whatever' whispered by Sora after Zero told her goodnight.

* * *

**FLOWERS OF MOE! MOEMOEMOE! **

**wasn't that a cute ending for the chapter? ;) I surely did ma best.**

**also, leave suggestions for me to follow and reviews for me to know what you're thinking so far, prreasse.**

**CK :***


	5. Moon Dorm Reeks of Blood, While You Smel

**Chapter Five. Moon Dorm Reeks of Blood, While You Smell Like Musk and Dawn**

l was eating my lunch with Airi-chan outside under a big shady, blossoming tree when Yuki found us. Or, more like stumbled upon us.

It was a Tuesday (the day after I had my little talk with Zero) and we were in the middle of lunch break from classes, and I'd practically had my arm yanked off by Airi when she finally got the chance to talk to me after so many hours of sitting ignored in class. I'd refused to notice all of her frantic waving during the lecture- I was too busy checking the door, waiting for either Yuuki or Zero to walk in. They had both ended up skipping.

"...and that's why I was in the infirmary for three days." I finished up my lie, right when Yuki passed in front of us, looking a tad, well, disgruntled.

"Hey look, it's Yuuki-san!"

"What's got you so irked?" I ask as Yuki spins around to face us at the sound of Airi's voice.

"I- I'm sorry, Airi-san, I need to speak with Sora right now!" Yuki said, quickly grabbing my arm as I waved back at my roommate helplessly, being yanked away for the second time that day.

"Yuki, calm down, what's the matter?" My stomach grumbled for my poor abandoned lunch as I spoke.

"Oh, Sora, it- I- it's..." She let go of my arm and spun to face me, and we were now surrounded by thick trees that could conceal us from anyone meaning to pry.

"And why weren't you or Zero in class?"

Her eyes widened at my question.

"Zero... wasn't in class? AGAIN?!" She grumbled, mentioning something about giving him a good talking-to later on.

"Nevermind him, what is going on with you today?"

Before she did anything else, she wrapped me into a hug. I gladly accepted- everyone was needing hugs lately, weren't they?

"First off, I haven't seen you since you were unconscious so I just wanted to say- I'm so glad you're better now."

I smiled warmly and patted her hair full of short, thin locks of chocolate brown.

"Oh, thanks Yuuki. I'm sorry- I should have come to see you right when I was feeling better. Actually... I haven't seen you around since I woke up, where have you been?" I asked, pulling away to look at her face.

She blushed so bright red it almost hurt my eyes.

"Ka-Kaname-sama... I've been visiting Kaname-sama..."

"Yuki..."

"Yuki."

We both jump, and standing directly beside us, stepping out of nowhere comes said-vampire.

"Kaname!" Yuki says, bowing slightly.

"Kaname-sama, no offense, but what are you doing out of the Moon Dorm at this hour?" I ask, shifting my weight a tad more towards Yuki, who has now straightened up and has a light blush on her face.

The molten-eyed man stares at me for a moment, and then bows respectfully to both of us. I give Yuki a confused face and she returns it.

"My apologies to both of you to find you when you're on your lunch break, I'm sure with all the work you do you need this time for yourself." He straightens up and his gaze lands on me. For a moment, I feel my insides jolt- though I don't trust him, there is no denying how remarkably handsome he is. "I was looking for you, Tsukino." He looks over to Yuki. "May I borrow her from you?"

Yuki nods while I try to make up an excuse in my head.

"Actually, I was going to go find Zero. After I finished talking with Yuki." I say.

There's a flash in his eyes. "Perfect. I'll help you look for him and then we can talk." When I opened my mouth to object, he held up a hand. "It's no trouble at all, besides, two pairs of eyes can spot something more quickly and easily than just one."

So with that, I had to accept defeat, falling into step behind him as he set off through the trees. I looked back to where Yuki was, but she was already walking away too.

"Kaname-sama," I started.

"Just Kaname, is fine."

"...Kaname, were you spying on us?"

He didn't turn around, just kept on walking. I stared at the spot between his shoulders, his white uniform was pressed and clean and perfect. I think it smelled lightly of cologne, too, from where I was standing behind him it seemed to waft through the air at me.

"Sorry?"

"I guess, more specifically, were you spying on Yuki?"

This time he did stop walking, but didn't turn around.

"You're remarkably uneasy around me, Sora."

I took a step back subconsciously. His tone had changed from casual to thoughtful and deep. I took it as a bad sign.

"Well, were you? And don't lie-"

"Yes."

He turned around, the slight wind making his brown-ebony locks of hair brush around his shoulders and move in a dance there. His gaze was completely unreadable as he stood for a solid moment, and then stepped closer to me. Instinctively, I stood my ground because I hated backing down.

"Yes, I was watching Yuki. Do you not trust me, Sora?"

"Stop calling my by my first name."

He took another step towards me, slowly, cautiously, as if he was approaching a wounded animal.

"But you're allowed to call me by my first name."

When he took another step forward, I moved backwards even though my brain said to stand up to him. And we continued on like that- my stepping backwards whenever he advanced, and the look in his eyes all the while getting murkier, deeper. When it got to the point where I was ready to turn around and get out of his reach, my back hit a tree, I cursed, and he advanced so quickly, purring into my ear with a satisfied voice.

"Why don't you trust me Sora?"

I shivered when his lips just missed my ear, then the side of my face.

"Kaname." I say firmly, not making my worry evident. I wasn't so scared as uncomfortable. "Why were you following Yuki? Why were you listening in on our convers-"

He leans back slightly to get a good grip on my long hair, bringing it to his nose and inhaling it's scent. He closes his eyes, his fingers stroking the strands preciously.

"You smell like mint. Fresh and clean." He says, letting his fingers trail through my hair as he drops it and stares back at me.

"Yeah that would be my conditioner. Now stop avoiding all of my questions, it's just making you more suspicious to me."

His eyes bore into me, and for a moment, I remember that I'm the one pushed up against a tree with no way out because he's basically pinning me to it. And I'm the human, he's the vampire. I'm just a girl, he's a man. ln other words, I was in no position to demand things from him.

"You need to stop being so right about everything."

"I'm taking that as a confession. Also, you still haven't told me why you're giving Yuki no freedom."

"No freedom? What-"

"Kaname." I say, pushing him slightly away from me. My eyes are on the cloud of dust forming just over his shoulder.

**_"KYYYAAAAAAAAAAAA! Kaaaanaaameee-saaamaaa!"_**

"We can finish this discussion later." He says, grabbing my arm to run.

"Or when I feel like it." I add in, wanting to make it clear he is not in charge of me.

He just sighs, or grunts, one of the two as he pulls me, quite quickly, down a short road that leads past the stables. We disappear so fast that the 'Kya's' die down suddenly and are replaced with noises of confusion, and then as Kaname yanks me too sharply around the next corner, I trip on the edge of something and tumble, falling to the ground.

"Careful." He says, coming back to stand over me, panting only slightly while I'm huffing for air.

I grumble, pushing myself over and onto my back. I can tell my knee is scraped, but don't really care as I lie there in the short grass panting.

"You know, class is probably about to start. If you still want to talk to me, then actually plan it at a better time. And also, ASK me about it in the first place so I actually KNOW you want to chat." I sit up to give him a blank stare that holds no emotion, though the annoyance is evident in my tone.

He just holds out a hand to me, and I take it so he can pull me up. He's suddenly staring over my shoulder, so I turn around to see a slightly disheveled Zero standing a few feet away.

Of course, I have to now interrogate him too.

"You were sleeping in the barn all day weren't you? You skipped class to come here instead... I should've known."

Kaname makes an unimpressed sound behind me, and Zero just stands there.

"Why are _you_ with _him_?" He asks, blinking between the two of us.

Kaname clears his throat, stepping up from behind me to beside me.

"I had to speak with her. And I was helping her look for you."

"You weren't really." I say, before stepping up to go to Zero. Before I can though, Kaname grabs my elbow, pulling me back slightly and giving me a look when I turn my face to look at his hand, put-off by his actions.

"You will come see me after school today. I'll talk to the headmaster about excusing you from your night patrol."

When he turns around, I hear a sound behind me and turn my head to Zero, who has pulled his gun on the other vampire's back, a serious look in his eye.

"Don't touch her again."

"Zero. I can tell him that myself. Hey, Kaname, don't touch me, and don't act as if I'll just do whatever you want. If you want to talk to me, find a time when I'm not busy. Tonight I will be doing my duty as a prefect out on night patrol."

The dark-haired vampire has his head turned in our direction, his back still to me and Zero and Zero's steady-held gun.

"Put that away, Kiryu, Zero, before you hurt yourself. And I'll be seeing you later tonight, Sora."

And with these words, he paces away from us.

"Don't call me by my first name either!" I call after him, but if he cared about my words he didn't show it. Pretty soon he was out of sight.

I turn back to Zero, only to see him kneeling, his gun settled a ways away in the grass while he's panting like a dog.

"Zero are you alright? Were you sick today, is that why...?" I stop when he looks up at me, his gaze unclear and his eyes vampiric in their bloodlusting color of crimson.

Shit- I'd never seen him like this before. Yuki had mentioned the it to me, but...

Looking down, I spotted my leaking knee- the blood there was fresh and running surprisingly quickly, trailing down my leg in overlapping lines of red. I look over to Zero, and notice the conflict in his face and the tension in his body- he looks like he's in so much pain... and he's still trying to hold back. I'm so shocked at his willpower I almost run to hug him, but when he shakes and falls to the ground, his stomach crunching and his back arching as he convulses on the ground, all I know is one thing and that's that Ion't ever want to see this look on his face ever again.

I walk to him, helping him to sit up so that his head is level with my thighs. He glares at the blood on my skin, then looks away, trembling.

"Can you control yourself if I... help you?" I ask, and the sound of my voice is so filled with sincere concern that he looks into my eyes abruptly, apologetically. "Don't apologize for this later. You'd do it for me."

Before he can shake his head no, I place my hands on his head and push him toward the source of the blood, the cut at my knee. When all he does is tremble, I say "Well someone's got to stop the bleeding!" harshly, and then, almost tentatively, he laps at the open wound, and almost immediately his mouth is stuck there like glue.

There's still the rest of the trail of it slipping down my leg though. "Don't waste any of it, clean it up already."

Before I know it, he's bowing and his mouth is on my ankle, where the trail ends. Then, slowly, he's running his tongue up my leg, stopping at my knee and pulling his head back to swallow. I catch a glimpse of his teeth- they're stained red. And then it hits me- with MY blood.

"Zero-"

He grunts, growls in the back of his throat, and runs his tongue back down my still-stained leg, certainly not wasting any of the liquid. The sensation over my clean-shaven, open skin is tantalizing in a strange way. He doesn't even give the new blood resurfacing on my knee a chance to dry before his mouth is back to there, and I feel his fangs graze my skin and without really meaning to, I whimper accidentally.

"Don't do that." He says, and his strong arms encircle my waist, his head just below my hips, bending to kiss my thighs.

"Are you better now?" I ask, and he bends even lower to lap fresh blood surfacing at my cut knee again before pressing his sleeve there to try to block the bleeding. He's no noble vampire, and certainly not a pureblood- his saliva won't heal the wound. When he's come more into his vampire self, it probably will be able to hold healing properties though.

"Maybe." He says, and I realize he's still panting, maybe even harder than before. Then, "You know, your blood tastes untainted and pure. Even though Takuma's tasted it... And- It also tastes of unconditional feelings." He looks up at me, the red slightly faded from his eyes. "I had some idea already but... Sora, you're incredibly tender-hearted. Do you ever worry about yourself? It's like you overly-care for others, too much... you don't have to..."

I stare down at him, and he straightens up, so his chin is now grazing my midriff, the top of his head hitting the bottom edge of my bra under my shirt, his cheek suddenly resting on my stomach, hitting the area where my wound had been sewed up.

"Zero. I honestly don't think there's such a thing as caring about someone too much. Not anything... and not anyone."

In an unexpected move, he hooks an arm under my knees, making me fall. He follows, and the section of my lower back hurts where the Level-D had pierced through to my stomach, so I close my eyes and wince, trying to force away the slight, sharp pain. When I open my eyes, my breath catches. When his knee moves the slightest bit up my skirt between my legs, I gulp and blush.

He's completely dominated me, leaning over my body, his one leg spread just outside my hip while the other is set between my legs. His chest heaving above mine, his own hips settled a tad above mine, his arms on either side of me with his hair hanging down as his head tilts low to watch me with those eyes, those deep, soulful, lavender eyes.

"You're right. There isn't." He says, and leans down, closer to my face.

I swear I can hear my heart thumping a wild rhythm in my chest, and a horse snorts and stomps somewhere near us in the background. I'm almost positive class is about to start and I should probably get myself and him back to the building full of regular students, regular, non-vampire students, boys who don't have to worry about blood tablets being rejected by their body and girls who don't have to worry about offering their blood as compensation for the unhelpful tablets. But... but I can't! I mean, he is _on top_ of me.

"Eh-hem. 'Scuse me, you two."

I freeze- though technically, I'm already pinned down and frozen. God or whoever must hate me- if that voice belongs to who I think it does, than this will be fairly embarrassing...

"Get off of me." I hiss at Zero, who hops to his feet, helping me up afterward.

And there before us stands Yuuto. His curly black hair is brushed and neat in appearance despite the unruly curls and his stormy-blue eyes are rimmed by his glasses, like a picture-frame holding in the sky. He looks both perplexed and a bit awkward as he stands there looking at us.

The awkwardness soon turns into a smile directed at me. He has the most easy-going smile out of any guy I've met- like a cool, collected pull of the lips.

"Your brother sent me for you- again. Said he saw you being pulled around by one of the Night Class students, and he was so paranoid I thought that little vein in his head that bulges when he gets mad was going to finally burst."

"Sorry Yuuto. Um, have you met Zero before?" I motion to Zero, who stands beside me, his head turned away, looking off into the nothing in the distance,

Yuuto bows slightly and Zero looks up at the gesture. "Yeah, hello, Zero-kun."

"Hey." Zero says.

"Has class started yet, Yuuto-san?" I ask, grabbing Zero's hand and yanking him along when Yuuto turns around and starts walking, gesturing for us to follow him.

"Lunch is ending in just a few minutes. By the way, where'd that Night Class student go Sora-chan?"

"I made him leave. He was just helping me find Zero."

"Hmm. Who was it? That Aido guy seems pretty fond of you, was it him?"

Zero grumbles beside me, saying something unclearly, like "He's fond of anything with a pretty face and tits." before I speak over the top of him.

"No, it was Kuran Kaname."

"That stoic, old-fashioned, dark haired guy?"

"Yeah."

"I was under the impression you kind of hated him."

I scowl. "I don't 'hate' anybody. But you could say I don't particularly enjoy his company."

Honestly, hate is an emotion I like to avoid. I've seen it ruin people and... also, I can see good in everyone no matter how terrible they seem. There's always something buried underneath. I look at Zero for a moment.

Always.

We've appeared before the school's doors before I know it. Students are just flocking through them, girls chattering and guys pushing. Yuuto turns to us, his eyes suddenly hidden behind the sheen in his glasses caused by the sun's glare.

"I'll see you later, Sora-chan." He nods to Zero. "Zero-kun."

Leaning forward to give me a shouldered side-hug, Yuuto then pulls back and blends into the crowd of students. I look up at Zero, who's looking down at me, back to being his usual serious, harsh, intolerant self. A look on his face I'm used to, that I'm happy with seeing despite the way it unsettles or scares most of our classmates. I can't help but smile slightly at him. Then, I reach up on tip-toes and ruffle his hair, playfully annoying him, before turning and walking through the doors, keeping a pinched hold on the fabric of his shirt so he can't escape another lesson in class.

* * *

"Holy shit- _Aido_, could you possibly _STOP ENCOURAGING THEM_?!" I scream at the blonde menace, who's 'shooting' his fans again, Kain beside him watching him with a calm look. The girls around me squeal and press in towards me as he goes "Bang!" again, and though this job is made easier than I was told it used to be with only two people, (because now we had another two people to help out) four prefects against many, MANY, _many_ aggressive and love-stricken females still wasn't much help.

"AIDO WHAT THE HELL." I yell at him as he presses more towards my side, steps nearer to me, and starts blowing kisses to the particular group of young women I am barely managing to hold off. Unexpectedly he finds my shoulder, then he hooks an arm around my waist, and every girl hisses at me as his mouth comes to my ear and he cooes so softly only I can hear.

"This is only one part of your punishment. Now you know how I felt when they were all over me! Oh... and I heard Kaname invited you to the Moon Dorm tonight. If you do show up, I expect to see you, too. And if you don't show up..." He presses closer, his face hidden in my hair as his fangs come out and play at my skin on my neck. "Then you're _definitely_ in for it."

He pulls away, sighing towards his fans. "I was just telling her to go easy on you all. You're all too lovely to be yelled at."

I swear under my breath when they push further, scream louder, and I almost lose my balance. Almost- I'm not Yuki.

Or maybe I kind of am?

"Ouch!" I say as I fall, my butt hurting and my still-wounded back and stomach stinging as I hit the pavement. A hand finds my waist and lifts me up effortlessly, and when I turn around I'm looking thankfully into a pair of peridot eyes.

"Thanks. Thank you." I say, trying to act normal despite his closer-than-usual proximity.

"Hanabusa's being awfully harsh on you today, isn't he?" He smiles, sending a lot of the girls around me into a panic.

"Please, you're being harsh too since you're holding me so close. These girls are going to find a way to poison my food or kill me in my sleep eventually."

He pulled back immediately, but before he walked away he gave me a questioning glance.

"Did I hear something about you coming over to our dormitory tonight?" He asked.

"No." I say firmly. "No you didn't."

It was then that I decided that I wouldn't give in to anyone. Kaname can suck it. And Aido can take Kaname's wrath for me, since I won't be showing up.

Man, these girls have really gotten me in a mood now. I grunt and push another load back, my temper only steadily rising. Anymore of this and I just might end up shouting at them as harshly as Zero does.

* * *

"Yuki?"

Her face was flushed from running and her pupils were dilated because of how dark it was outside. She stopped in front of me, a piece of paper in her hand.

"H-headmaster... t-told... me to give... give this to you... as quickly as... I could find you..." She pants, and hands me the paper.

I read it. I fold it with a composed face. I nod my thanks to Yuki and turn on my heal, excusing myself. Both my fists grip my blades at my sides unnaturally tight as I walk away.

* * *

When I burst into the Moon Dormitory, I'm pissed off.

"So now you're threatening me?!" I shout to no one in sight. Wait a minute... aren't they all, in class right now? "What the hell am I even doing here?!" I say, turning around only to be met by the entire Night Class. And my father.

"Sora." Arata's golden eyes are stern.

So they did tell on me. BASTARDS. This is child's play! Telling my father...

Yeah I was scared stiff.

"Gomen nasai." I say apologetically, bowing low, the tips of my long hair brushing and touching the floor.

I just know Kaname is smirking. Or whoever did this. It was probably him, but Aido would have GLADLY helped. Bet they're both hiding smiles.

"Sora, I already cut the class early so that you could speak with Kuran. He told me you had a previous engagement that you had agreed to, but then when Ichijo tells me otherwise I call the headmaster and he tells me you're still on patrol. How many times have I stressed the importance of keeping and honoring your word?"

With each word, I swear, his voice gets deeper until it's so low, I can barely hear him. He's pissed... but I can sense a lightness, the loving father part of him, behind his words. Before I can look up I hear footsteps, and he's gripping me in a bear-hug so tight the breath is knocked out of me.

"Do as I say and keep true to your word." He says in a light tone, holding me close in front of his students, whom he NEVER allows to see his kinder side. My face is stuck in his shoulder, so I can't see the faces behind us, but I bet those vampires are stricken with shock.

"Okay," I say quietly, and he pulls away, his hands on my shoulders, and then lightly kisses my forehead. He smooths my hair with a hand like he always does, and I smile.

"Be a good girl, Sora."

I nod vigorously. "Hai, Otousan!"

When he's gone and the doors close, the entire Night Class is staring at me intensely. I stare at them too.

"So he's your weakness." Aido says, happy to find out but also still shocked to see such a soft side of his sensei.

"I never thought I'd see Yuki in you..." Takuma says thoughtfully, to which Senri, beside him, nods.

"No, she's more like Yuki than you'd think." Kaname suddenly says. "It's just hiding inside."

"Don't make me stay longer than I apparently now have to." I say sternly.

"Senri and I are going to the library." Rima says, stepping away from the group as Senri follows. They both give me a look, as if to say they'll be there for me to find them later on, and then they both ascend the stairs together.

"Well," Aido sighs, and he turns to Kain. "Should we wait for Sora-chan in our room?"

"Wait all you want. You'll get bored after a while when I don't show."

Aido steps forward, his blue eyes glinting in the dimness and his hair swaying as he smirks at me. He leans in, extra close, just to bug me as he says;

"Careful, Sora~chan~." His voice is so sweet it's scary. "Nobody likes a no-show."

After a minute or two of breathing in my ear, drawing out his presence beside me, he backs away and he and Kain start to leave towards the stairs. Kain turns back to look at Ruka, willing her with his eyes to leave me and her precious Kaname alone for now instead of arguing like she was just on the brink of doing, and she takes a single, tentative step forward, throws me a glare, and then looks to Kaname politely, who nods at her.

Pretty soon, it's just me, Kaname, and Takuma. Takuma, knowing his place but obviously struggling with leaving me in the hands of his superior, coughs and side steps the two of us. When he goes to pass me, his eyes glue to mine with this_ look_, I can't read it because he soon turns his head, but I know it must have meant something.

Once the tall blonde has ascended the stairs and disappeared around the corner, I feel the weight of a hand on my shoulder, but refuse to turn around to face the owner of that hand.

"You know, I'll just let you do the talking, and I'll listen." I say, and the hand finds it's way to my lower back, leading me/pushing me towards the stairs. When the hand there presses slightly harder when I won't move, I wince and shake from the sudden pain emanating from my wound. The hand goes back to a lighter pressure, and this time I oblige to walking up the staircase, Kaname in tow beside me, even though he's leading.

When we get to what is apparently his room, he unlocks the doors and allows me to step inside first.

I'm caught with a waft of roses. It's none-too-subtle and very sweet, and as I inhale my head starts to feel light. I shake it off and exhale slowly, and, barely hearing Kaname say to make myself comfortable, I sit down on the velveteen black couch along the right side of the room.

"Let's cut right to the chase, shall we?"

I look up at him. He's standing a few feet in front of me, looking regal and sophisticated and yet, somehow, the tone in his voice is easy and personable. The scent in the room and the way he's trying to be polite is slowly starting to make me relax, and I lean back against the couch, crossing my legs comfortably.

"This is your room. You should be able to sit down to talk with me, not just stand there uncomfortably."

He walked to me and sat down beside me, the comfortable and proper social distance away so that he wasn't imposing in my personal space. It was nice to see a better side of him, I knew somehow that he couldn't be as terrible as Zero claims.

"I wasn't all that uncomfortable standing. But I am rather exhausted." He says, and leans into the couch slightly, putting a hand past his hair and then sighing while placing it back in his lap.

"Kaname. I want to apologize- before you say anything."

He closes his eyes, and I'm not sure if that means to continue or not. I do anyway.

"I know I come across cruel with you. But I'm obviously not someone who enjoys being pushed around, and I will stand up for myself when I need to. I'll stand up for others and anything I believe in. But I still want to apologize- not for being myself and believing what I do, but for not at least trying to be warmer with you. I know you aren't a complete monster. Maybe you see yourself as one, but I do not. I don't even see Level E's as monsters, to tell the truth, and I know that makes me sound oblivious and naive, but I'm not like that. I know how dangerous and heartless they can be... how monstrous and beastly they are. But in all honesty they don't mean it. No one is born that way- not one soul is born to be cruel like that and they just got lost. People who are lost... who are caught in the wrong place at the wrong time... who don't know what is happening to them until it's too late and they have fallen so low they can't fix themselves... they need help, they lost their lives but they're still living, it must hurt. It must be awful and they must hate themselves and feel like hell. So I can't hate them, or you, or Zero, or any vampires. I can't hate the people who killed my parents- my real ones. I don't know why I'm so considerate- Zero says I'm too considerate, and I know that you would think it makes me weak, that it'll get me killed. That you have to be harsh and ruthless and push aside your heart to be strong against your enemies. But I... this is the reason you and I are at such crossroads with each other constantly- I don't believe what you do. But I know, despite whatever you've done to cause yourself to hate yourself and think this way, you're a good man at heart. We're all a little more than lost at times, stuck in an oblivion of what we think of ourselves and stuck in the ways of the world's impact on us. I'm... the same as you that way. We both get stuck whether we like to or not."

I take a very deep breath when I finish. I don't dare look at him- I know he glanced back at me a few times, but as I spoke I had kept my face slightly to one side, staring off at the clock across the room. It had taken me less than a minute to finish speaking, but what I said felt like it went on for decades.

"You-"

"Don't you say that I don't know." I warn him, finally turning my head a bit, but not looking at him still. Instead I look down at the velvet of the couch, and run my hand along it for comfort. "Because I know more than you probably would ever imagine I do."

He sighs. "Can I tell you why I brought you here tonight?"

I don't answer. The velvet is so soft against my palm, and I start making swirling patterns in the black depths of it in order to remain calm.

"I've noticed your intuition. You're actually a bit too intuitive to my liking." He admits slowly. "You know Yuki well without knowing her long. You know my feelings and the direction I want to take things, which is dangerous for me. No one is to ever know any of my plans unless I decide I want to confide in them."

I can tell he's staring straight at me, but I don't know why I can't reach his gaze. Maybe I'm worried I said too much, maybe he'll do something I can't prevent now that we're alone. My fingers slide down the couch to my hip, grazing the bronze of Atticus underneath my skirt.

"I've found that you've been controlling my chess pieces even more easily than I can- than I have ever been able to. There's something about you that attracts vampires, hunters, and humans alike- and to me it's a puzzle. Even I find myself naturally drawn to you. And that Kiryu... he feels it too. Which is troublesome because he's supposed to be my knight- the vampire knight that I hold in the palm of my hand, forcing him to protect my precious queen. Actually, I don't have to force much- he normally just does it on his own, which is good. But you- YOU- you're changing him. He's spending less time protecting what's mine and more time watching over what he wants to be his. I can't have that. And I can't have you not looking at me when I'm speaking with you."

He lightly grabs my hand that's pressing firm against my weapon, and pulls. I inch forward a bit, and when I look up our faces are closer and his eyes are open and calm. His tone has a fierce note hidden in it though, when he next speaks.

"Tsukino Sora," He says, and somehow I feel that the whole room gets darker then. "What are you?"

I try to pull my hand back, but his strength won't let me. I stare at him, and feel myself shake my head.

"What's going on, Kaname? I worry you? I'm a problem for you? What am I- I am a human girl. And yet I'm somehow causing you all this stress and ruining your plans... I think you're just not used to having someone as clever as you on the playing field. If I concern you so much- then change your strategy. Maybe I won't be able to figure out your next moves if you stopped being so predictable."

"I-"

"Also, Zero is not yours to manipulate. Neither is any of the Night Class. Neither is my father, or the Headmaster, or Yuki. And I'm certainly not yours or anyone's to manipulate." I use my left hand, my weaker hand of the two but still I can use it fairly well, and rip out Rem from it's place at my hip. The blade sparks when I touch it lightly to his hand holding my wrist, and he softly releases me while I stand up and pull out Atticus, holding both blades between my body and Kaname's while he stands as well.

"Maybe they're not mine to manipulate. But I'll use them to my advantage anyway."

"Kaname... how is it that I understand you? I get what you're saying even though it's wrong... I still think you're a good man, you know. But regardless of that I don't trust you and everyone else shouldn't put faith in you as well."

"It's true they'd be wise to do the same as you. But they won't."

"Which is why I don't bother in warning them. But they'll realize eventually, Kaname-sama, and you're running out of time."

He steps towards me and I step backwards, my blades extended like two other parts of me. He's a pureblood and I know if he bit me I'd... never be the same. But also, I mean, he's a _pureblood_. How good are my weapons, really, against someone like him?

As if sensing my thoughts, he lunges forwards and grips each handle of both blades in his hands. Though they spark and crackle in resistance, and I know they've done well to burn him, he doesn't even flinch. His gaze settles with mine, and my heart picks up in sound and speed.

"What is it, Akatsuki?" His deep voice calls out, causing me to blink and turn my head towards the door.

"Some of us are getting restless. We smell blood." Came a manly voice from the other end of the door. He hadn't even knocked yet, so Kaname must've sensed him.

Kaname immediately let go of my blades and licked each of his palms in turn.

"Whose?"

"It's not coming from outside, it's coming from within the dorm. Ruka and Hanabusa were telling me to see if it was yours, but there's a second scent mixed in with it, so I was curious myself."

Kaname looked at me and his eyes looked feral for a moment before he looked away quickly. That's when I felt the dull throbbing near my stomach... had my wound torn back open? I placed a hand to my lower back, which felt warmer than usual. It felt too damp and sticky for my liking beneath my uniform. So it hadn't just opened up in the front, but the back as well...

"Kaname." My voice sounded worried, on the edge of panic. Everyone could smell my blood.

He was to the door in three swift steps, and threw it open so we could both see the tall ginger vampire behind it. The two spoke for a moment, and then Kain nodded and looked right at me.

"Come on Sora."

I was quickly pulled to his side, and then we were rushing through the darkened halls of the Moon Dorm. We passed the library and at the same moment Senri and Rima opened the door and stepped out- Rima was tugging Senri's sleeve and his eyes were glowing blood-red through the dim lighting as they both saw me.

Kain swiftly dodged the pair and grabbed my arm, pulling me a bit faster through the hall. We came to the staircase where Aido was waiting for us with a gleam in his blue eyes.

"We never had a visit, Sora-chan."

I looked up to Kain, and he looked down to me. His eyes, too, were glowing a blood-lusting red, though from his calm exterior I never would have guessed unless I saw. He looked back to Aido. The blonde licked his lips slowly, leisurely, and his eyes began right then to pool with red as he inhaled deeply.

"Not now, Hanabusa."

"You. smell. goood~ Sora~chaaan~" Aido smiled, one fang slipping over his wet lips, glinting at me.

"Aido. I said not now. Go back to our room." Kain insisted once again.

"But she smells so damn tasty~"

Aido stepped forwards, pulling both arms out to the banister and the wall so that he blocked our escape down the stairs. Kain pulled me back behind his tall form, and then I suddenly felt my feet stiffen and cool. Upon looking down, I found that my feet and all the way up to my knees had a thick layer of ice covering them.

"Shit, Aido." I say, looking back up at the blonde. He smiles triumphantly before facing his cousin.

"Come on, Akatsuki, don't you think it too? She smells like she'd taste too sweet."

Kain just grunted, and I felt the ice around my legs melt into a puddle at my feet. His orange flames died down near my shoes as he reached the shorter blonde, grabbed a fistful of his hair, and tugged him abruptly up and over the side of the banister. I peered over as Aido's body sunk into the sofa below, breaking the legs on it, and then Kain picked at my hand, grabbed it tightly, and hurried me down the stairs and to the front doors. However, when we reached the doors the locks froze over, and we both had to turn around again to see a certain blonde menace back on his feet, eyes glowing a powerful red. I looked up at Kain- his eyes were drenched with that color as well. I don't know how he always managed to remain so fiercely under control of himself.

"Come on, play fair~" Aido chimed, staring hard at his taller cousin and roommate.

Kain sighed. "Aido, I don't want to hurt you, but you know if you continue like this I will have to. I'm under orders from our dorm leader to get her out safely."

_I wonder why Kaname didn't just do it himself, or at least help me personally instead of trusting me with another, less-in-control-of-his-blood-lust, vampire. Though Kain is doing pretty well with me..._

A loud knock sounded on the door behind me and Kain, making everyone jump a bit. Then the knocking became banging, and then there was a force so harsh that hit the door that it blew me off of my feet- I don't know where Aido and Kain were, but I fell to the corner with shards of ice flying about me- the ice that was kept over the locks of the doors breaking while the doors flew open.

I was too disoriented now, (my head had hit the marble floor so hard that it resounded in my ears) to do anything as arms lifted me up. I reached a hand for my blades, but another hand swept mine away and I tried to glare at whoever was holding me but my vision was out-of-focus and too blurry to see.

I could hear the doors slamming again. My brain was starting to clear up and I could also hear Aido whining and complaining and growling, and Kain's deep voice arguing intelligently back. Those sounds all receded though, and soon I was smelling things, familiar things, and closing my eyes to it.

Pine trees... flowering trees... wet bark, it must have rained while I was inside... and then that powerful scent, nothing like the subtle smell of the roses that came with Kaname, but something much more different.

Musky... clean, like scented shower wash. The slight, just slight, leftover smells of sweet hay on his shirt...

"You're really not bleeding too bad."

I open one eye, squint, and then slowly open the other to stare at him while his steady hands graze my shirt, pulling it up higher to my chest but being careful to only reveal my bandaged stomach. I hadn't noticed that he'd set me down against a tree, or that he had already actually released me of my bandages. So now he was just inspecting my bare stomach, and I watched him stare and couldn't help but place a hand in his hair. I was right- it was soft, not course like it sort of appeared.

"My head hurts too... I can't think at all." I murmur, and I swear he laughs lowly, even just a bit.

"Good. I often feel like I can't keep up with you. Now I know you can't leave me behind."

I can't reply because he slowly turns me and inspects my back wound as well.

"Yeah. Your wound opened from the back and that's where you're bleeding. The front looks sore, but there's no blood there. Have you not been resting much?" He pauses. "Nevermind. I know you haven't."

I can't talk. He presses something wet and warm to my back, to my bleeding wound, and it feels so nice I sigh deeply. Then he turns me back around, and I'm feeling myself grow weaker and my head get foggier.

"We should focus on your concussion. That's probably the most serious problem. I just healed your wound, so it should close up in the back soon."

I look up at his blurred purple eyes, confused. How did he heal my wound so simply?

"Can you relax for now while I take you back to your dorm?" He says it more than asks it as he plucks me from the ground and holds me close for what seems like the hundredth time.

"Only... if you promise to be in classes tomorrow..." I'm mumbling nonsense to myself. I don't really understand what I'm saying or what he's doing. All I know is my brain feels like Jell-O.

"It's nearing dawn, and I'm tired because of work. And you."

"Then..." I can't finish. My mind is losing itself and my head feels so heavy against his shoulder.

"Then? Then what?" His voice sounds quiet and tender beside my ear.

I don't think he expects an answer, so I don't reply to him. And as the shadows shrink and night begins to slowly end, I'm already asleep in his arms.

* * *

**Hehehe... I have something juicy planned for the next chapter. **

**Tell me whatcha think!**

**CK :***


	6. White Lily- Matchmaker

**Chapter Six. White Lily- Matchmaker**

I wake up with a jolt. Zero should not have been able to treat me with such care last night. He should have lost it and bit me.

So, why didn't he?

I feel around to my back. The wound is closed, as he said so last night. Actually, it's far better off than it's been in these past few days. How did he do it?

I bring my legs out of bed and stare at the floor, thinking. My mind had woken up quickly from my rest, though my head was slowly catching up with it and I could feel how heavy and lead-like it was.

I stare at my knees. The skin there is smooth and pale... wait, but one of them was scraped early yesterday.

_But Zero licked over it..._ My mind told me.

I shoot up out of bed, thankful to my fast-working mind. That was how he healed me last night! So he could do that already? I didn't think he'd grown into his vampire abilities that much ye-

A sudden very painful wave hits me like an avalanche, and my head spins and my vision whirls before me, forcing me to sit down again. Oh. Yes. Right.

I have a concussion.

"Shhhh...it..." I mumble, placing a wobbly hand to my head and willing with everything I've got for the dizziness to subside.

"How's it?"

I look up to see my brother's large eyes boring into me, and a sudden wave of affection hits me. He's always there when I need his big brotherly comfort. I hug him loosely, willing my head to stop spinning.

"Not too great huh?" He whispers and places his hands on my head, smoothing my hair like our father does.

Just as soon as I've hugged him, I push him away and lean back in bed. That's enough of the sappy brother and sister moments.

"You smell like lunch." I state, stifling a yawn as he pulls the blankets up around me. He always had a hint of a foody smell on him though.

"That's because I have your lunch right here." He says, and I sit up when he places a bento box in my lap. He begins fluffing the pillows behind my back while I open it to peer at the contents.

"It shocks me that you didn't eat any of it."

"Don' worry, Sora-chan! I kept him from doing that!"

"Airi-chan." I blink and stare at her as she bounces through the door of our shared bedroom. Her short, super-curly blonde hair stuck to her head doesn't bounce with her, but her skirt flies up embarrassingly and Riku looks away politely, blushing slightly.

"How are you, how are you?! Sora-chan?" The teen begs, and I almost laugh at her large, burgundy-brown eyes, which are cutely widened with worry.

"I'm good, I'm good, Airi-chan." I mimic her, and reach out my arms to lean in for a hug that I know she's having trouble holding back.

"Does your head hurt still? When Zero-kun knocked on our door so early and I answered to see you unconscious in his arms... oh I was so worried! He told me that you bumped your head and had fallen asleep, but that you probably had a minor concussion and needed careful attention and care. So I got the softest pillows I could find for your head, and there was a bit of blood behind your ear that I cleaned up and I wrapped your head just in case."

"Wow." I blinked again, trying to remember how again it was that I hit my head... the doors flew open... I blinked a second time, and smiled at my roommate. "Thank you for taking care of me."

_How did Zero know where to find me, and how did he know to come at such a time, did he sense I was trouble? I'd have to definitely thank him, where would he be at this hour...? Lunch time, well he'd either be asleep in the stables or he could have slept in and stayed the day in his room... __Wait. Kaname could've called Zero over for me... is that too far-fetched? Maybe I really am important enough to be involved in Kuran's little game..._

"-chan!" Airi finished, smiling sweetly at me.

I nodded, having no clue what she said.

Riku seemed to catch on, because he placed a hand tentatively on my rambunctious friend's arm and gave her that down-to-earth smile that I share with him.

"Would Airi-san please leave me and my sister some time alone for now? I'd really appreciate getting to talk with her. My duties as prefect have kindly been excused for the day so that I can watch over her."

I watched as my friend blushed and I stuck some rice into my mouth in order to withhold a chuckle. I'm sorry, but nothing about my brother seemed charming to me. Even though I see the occasional girl ogling him, I always brush it off as something that makes more sense than the girl being attracted to him- maybe they're staring at him because he has food on his face. That could be overly-likely.

It's just that, when you grow up watching him stick his chopsticks up his nose and pull on your hair to tease you and you watch him eat off of everyone else's plate at the dinner table with crumbs and drool all over his face... how can you understand all of that to be charming, or appealing to other girls?

He had certainly made himself appealing in Airi's eyes though, I guess, because she bowed to him easily with a girlish grin on her face and left the room giggling softly.

"Keep that up Riku, and she won't be fangirling over Ichijou Takuma anymore." I teased, and he ran a hand over his hair casually, turning away from the door.

"Well that's good. Because I'm pretty sure that Ichijou hasn't got his eye on her." He looked at me pointedly, and then snuck a red bean paste bun from my lunch, chewing proudly.

"Hmf." Was all I said, poking another bun through with one chopstick and lifting it up, inspecting it. "Well anyway, do you really mean that you have the day off today?"

"Yeah, I'm supposed to actually go to sensei and get the homework you've missed while you stay here and finish eating."

After deeming the bun worthy for me to eat, I bring the chopstick to my lips and bite into it.

"Then you can go do that."

I avoided his gaze and closed my eyes, happily chewing the bun.

"Well, will you actually stay put if I leave?"

"You brought me such a good lunch, I don't think I'd be able to do anything but eat right now."

His smile was what I saw when I finally opened my eyes.

"Okay, I'll be back soon!"

He quickly left, the door closing soundlessly behind him. I made no move but simply bit into a rice ball after he left.

_Five, four, three, two..._

"Ahhh... Sora...?"

I glanced up at the door, where his head was poking into the room. I swallowed the rest of my rice ball.

"Something wrong, Oniisan?"

"...Nevermind, I'll be back soon with your work."

When he left this time, I slowly closed the box to my unfinished lunch.

* * *

My long hair was pulled over my shoulder into a simple braid, the bandage around my head gone and abandoned. I had put on whatever I found first in my closet- meaning a plain, long-sleeved brown shirt, tight black jeans, and my usual converse. I had a light jacket thrown around my shoulders- it rained yesterday, could do the same today, I had figured- and my skin looked ghostly white in the lightened sky of the day, the greys of the clouds draining the fair pale coloring of my skin until it looked like off-white paper.

And I was on my way to the stables. A certain Kiryu boy hadn't been in his room.

"What the..." I murmured as I heard a slight crunch come from beneath wherever I had just stepped in the grass. Lifting my foot, I saw what lay there beneath it- a now-crushed tablet.

I quickened my speed, though I could hear a ringing in my ears because my head felt as swollen as a balloon. I knew it was too good to be true- he was probably barely holding himself back last night- dammit- why didn't I shove that bento box in Riku's face and leave sooner to find Zero!

"Zero?" I called out, nearing the barn. I didn't wait for an answer, I just stepped inside, too worried to wonder if it'd be safe for me, since he might be fighting off another hunger fit.

When I entered, the horses brayed in confusion. When I walked past, some of them swung their heads to me, sensing my troubles. Even before I came to Cross Academy, I loved horses- I had an obsession since I was a child and would force Riku to pick me up, carry me, and make stomping noises around the house while I tugged at his hair, yelling 'Giddyup, giddyup!'. And when I came to this school, as soon as Zero mentioned the stables I started visiting as often as I could. That's one of the reasons I started liking Zero right from the start- horses were something we both found comfort in.

"Shhh, shh..." I say, patting their soft noses and stopping by one crystal-white horse in particular, reaching out to rub her neck and tickle her ears. "Lily, have you seen Zero?"

The beautiful mare just eyes me, sniffing at my arm before pulling her head back a little. Zero's her absolute favorite, even if he's a vampire, and actually, I hold a lot of pride with myself that White Lily, crazy Lily, fiery, bad-ass nobody-can-touch-or-ride-me White Lily, liked me from the start. She never had to get used to me, which shocked Yuki more than Zero. (Yuki and Lily kind of have a rivalry going on) He just told me he knew I would be an exception, and that I just had a natural easiness about me that horses, being the intuitive creatures that they are, would understand. Even one as stubborn and hot-headed as Lily. I remember what he said about her that I thought he was hinting at about himself too-_ "It's not temper. Her personality is what's bad."_ Ever since he said that I understood why he had such a connection with the horse.

And actually, she was my favorite before I even knew about her and Zero's bond. There's something about a spirited horse that makes me happy- it's the way they're supposed to be, horses are no beasts to tame. They used to always run so wild and free... I'm on Lily's side. Don't let the humans do as they please with you, fight back, be as free as you want. I've never been one to bow to superiority myself.

"Come on, Lily, please..." I beg, hoping that there's some way he could just be here. I'm worried so much now that the swollen feeling in my head is starting to increase, pushing stars in front of my vision. I just push them right back though.

The wild mare sniffs into my hair, blows soft air across my heated face. Her eyes blink unknowingly and I know he's not been here. That tablet on the ground could have been days old anyway...

"No, I won't give up yet. I'm sick of him helping me and me being unable to help back- I know, Lily, I _KNOW_ he's hurting right now. He... has to be in here."

When I find myself suddenly in the mess of hay by Lily's legs, I know I blacked out for a moment because I don't recall entering the stall. I push the dark edges away again and fumble loosely in the hay. There is no silver-haired, lavender-eyed boy to be found, to my great dismay.

A sudden, heart-wrenching sob escapes my throat and I clutch my head when it pounds to the unsteady beat of my heart. I don't think anyone can understand, I don't even fully understand it- the pain and hurt that comes with KNOWING that someone special and close to you is suffering, and you can do NOTHING for them, though you long to help them... I long to help and hold him so much I can practically feel my tears burning into my skin, burning for him...

I hear nothing but static now. My whole face feels hot, my skin damp. My eyes are shutting, my vision leaving.

* * *

I wake up groaning, but maybe I've been doing that for awhile now because my throat feels sore. I try stretching my legs and they bump something- and then I feel large teeth at my braid, nipping it softly.

"Stop it... you'll bite her hair off."

"She's just being affectionate..." I mumble hoarsely. **(A/N: get it, horse, hoarse, it's a funny-haha, laugh with me here)**

"Yeah well her affection is gonna leave you needing a new haircut."

I fall back asleep, the sweet smell of the hay and the warmth surrounding my body keeping me tired.

When I next wake up, I actually try to sit up. Emphasis on the TRY- my entire body feels incredibly numbed. I turn a bit, and see that Lily is lying beside me, my head resting at her middle, her shoulder just above mine, my legs curved by her head. Silver hair blocks my view of things as she stretches her neck, pushing my forehead with her nose, a notion that seems to ask 'Are you okay?'.

I reach a hand up and tousle the silver hair across her forehead playfully.

"'Course I'm not okay, I mean look at me." I say tiredly, pressing my forehead to hers.

"Yeah, you are a mess."

I open my eyes and stare at the horse before me.

"Lily?"

"You really aren't okay, if you think it's the horse that's talking."

"I didn't. But I had to make sure, with the state I'm in." I turn my head and see him there, leaning against the wooden walls, here with me and White Lily.

_He's okay._

I drop my head suddenly, and laugh a little. It's more like an attempt, and a sigh after it.

"I'm an idiot."

"No."

I look up at him.

"You don't think I'm an idiot?"

He looks at me with those serious, lavender-colored eyes.

"What? No, I definitely think you're an idiot. I was just telling Lily no- she was trying to bite my pants."

"Gee, thanks." I say flatly, trying to sit up against Lily's side better.

Silently, he walks to me. Pushing Lily's nose out of the way and crouching down, he stares into my eyes. It's weird, I was so sure he was in pain but right now he seems fine. He pulls forth a hand, and his fingers barely brush underneath my eyes and across my cheeks.

"Were you crying?"

I sniff. "No. I was napping, didn't you see?"

He shakes his head slowly, keeping to being serious. "You were also crying."

I ignore it. "How long have you been here?"

"Half an hour at least."

I move away from his touch and look away, distracting my fingers with pulling a knot from Lily's mane.

"Sora. You know that I care about you, right?"

Lily's ears perk up at this, and I feel both of their eyes on me now. I'm not in the mood for this right now though, so I decide to try to push his emotions off.

"Don't say that in front of your girlfriend, Zero." I say, patting Lily's shoulder. "She doesn't want to share you."

"She's sharing me with you right now."

I sigh. How have our roles changed? Normally, he's the impassive stone-face giving the cold shoulder and I'm the one opening up to reassure him. Now, I'm the one dodging the emotions at play here and he's the one throwing them at me.

"Can you help me to stand?"

"Can you stand?"

"I can try."

He puts out an arm and I grab onto his shoulder while he holds my side. His other hand grabs mine and slowly, I get pulled up by him and onto my feet. I sway just slightly, but besides that I can stand. He pulls away, but not before holding my hand a second longer than he needs to.

"Zero, you know that I'm not in the mood to talk." I say before he can utter a sound.

He glares disapprovingly.

"That never seemed to stop you when you had things to say."

I groan. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, there are a lot of instances where I'm definitely not in the mood to talk. And you just keep talking to me anyway."

"Can't argue with that logic."

I can sense his concerned look but stare at the ground.

"You really aren't doing well. We should get you back to your dorm."

He grabs my hand but I _will_ fight him on the idea of going back. I stand my ground and despite being weak, tug on his hand, trying to get mine out of his grasp. He scowls.

"Sora, you can't-"

"I can. I can stay here if I want to. I don't want people fussing over me."

"People already are. It's almost nine in the evening. I found you half an hour ago and it had looked like you'd been in here for a while, because both you and half of the horses were sleeping. Does anyone even know where you are?"

"I snuck out..."

"Fantastic. Your brother will have my head."

I look up at him finally.

"It's not your fault. Well, actually, it is, come to think of it. How about that?"

"What the hell is that suppo-"

Both of us are so involved in our heated argument that we don't notice when White Lily stands up. I'm guessing she wasn't too happy with us yelling at and accusing each other in her stall, because next thing I know she's giving me a very hard shove in the back- and I'm tumbling with Zero to the ground.

Lily snorts in triumph and goes to another corner of her stall, busying herself with munching on some hay and swishing her tail at us.

"Ouch." I mumble when I land directly against Zero's hard chest, my head spinning a bit again.

"Oof!" I hear the air leave his lungs as his back lands in the hay, and I land on him, and we become entangled in each other's limbs.

After a dazed moment, we're both blinking, and then he glances up and I look down and our eyes meet. With our noses touching and our faces just an inch apart.

Once again, he blushes. I've already said, this Kiryu kid never blushes, or shows much emotion at all really, but it's just a light pink, not embarrassingly red, and it's slowly gracing his cheeks as we stare at each other and the moment drags itself out.

"Umm." He tries.

"Sorry." I whisper.

And we don't move.

"Um..." He tries again, and awkwardly brings his arms forward, his hands moving up to both sides of my waist. They hover there, not making contact, and he looks very unsure of what to do.

"Zero..." I say, suddenly in the mood for talking again.

"Huh?"

I try not to blush as his breath hits my neck and cheek.

"Did you mean that? When you just said you cared about me."

His gaze suddenly goes stern and he drops his arms to his sides again.

"Care. I _care_ about you. Not cared. It's a present feeling."

"Oh."

There's a silent pause and I realize that my hands are pressed to his chest. It's kind of uncomfortable for me because my boobs get in the way and my knuckles are pressing into them.

"Yes, I meant it." He adds, remembering what I asked.

Since my chest hurts, (and maybe not just physically but inside as well) I move my hands to our sides, getting them out of the way. But I soon realize I shouldn't have, because now my breast is pressing upon his chest and I can see the uncomfortable look he gives me.

"Sorry!"

We both move at the same time, me grabbing hold of his hips to steady myself and push off of him, and him touching my waist to lift me off. The movement of so many limbs causes my hands to run off-course when he pushes them away on accident, and I end up accidentally brushing just below his belt, making him gasp noticeably.

_Shit._ I can practically hear us both think at the same time. Behind us, Lily whinnies approvingly. Weird, I thought she'd be more jealous than this, but it sounds like she's encouraging us.

"Zero- I-" I have no words. If I'm devastated, I can only imagine what he's thinking.

Wait, he wouldn't be thinking of-

"God, I can't do this anymore." He complains, and suddenly, his hands at my waist are jerking me down, I'm on top of him again, flush against him like before, and his lips are sweetly pressed with mine.

.

.

.

.

**Finally.**

That one thought is all I can think. Finally FINALLY _finally_.

My heart feels so warmed to it's core that my entire body feels like a furnace.

As we kiss, our limbs entangle even more, and my hips against his have to move slightly because our legs are in an uncomfortable position. He moans into my lips- _oops_ I think, and that's when the pressure increases.

He presses his fingers harder into my hips, holding me there tighter. My arms fly up and over his head, I bury one hand in his hair and the other holds his shoulder, I feel like I need something to hold onto, something for leverage when I feel so close to falling off of an edge of emotions. And the pressure of our lips most certainly increases, something soft and sweet is becoming harder, more desperate, and then when I moan, he somehow slips his tongue into my mouth, surprising me.

"Mmmm." I was going to try to say his name but obviously I can't speak, so I end up humming into his lips instead. His tongue brushes my own, glances the sides of my mouth exploring, and then it tries at a battle with my tongue when it's done being curious. Though I'm more than just enjoying his dominance, (I think we both know, hell, even the horses know that I'm turned on) I'm not the kind of girl to let others have control so easily, and I fight against the intruder in my mouth, our lips are sore as we battle it out, and as he moans I lose, because that sound in my ears is driving me nuts and I can't resist anymore. He seems to hold pleasure in winning our little tongue fight, and breaks away from me grinning.

Neither of us had even thought about air during this encounter, and I saw stars as I slowly panted in and out, and he did the same below me, our breaths heavy and mouths sore.

Now all I can think is this: That. was. ONE. HELL. OF. A. KISS.

I think I almost took _too_ much pleasure in our little kissing session. Was that even a kiss? Or did he practically just eat me? Could anyone really call _that_ a kiss?

He regains his breath first. "So why is it my fault?"

I'm still dazed. We both feel warmer than before and the air is sweet and thick.

"Wha... what?" I ask, looking into his eyes.

"You said that it was my fault you were here. Can you explain that to me?"

"I was freaking the hell out, Zero." I reply honestly.

He looks puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"I went out looking for you. I don't know if it's true or not, because you seem fine now, but I had a sense that you were... in trouble."

His eyes turn dull, as if he's remembering something unpleasant.

"You didn't have to worry about anything Sora." He says seriously, flatly. Back to his old self now.

I sigh and he leans up, pushing me with him. We sit in the hay, me in front of him, and I reach out and pull some of the straw from his hair.

"I was so worried, you idiot." I say, looking straight at him. If he was gonna be so serious, I would be too.

"Well you didn't have to be."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm meaning to tell you that that isn't how it works._ I'm_ supposed to protect and look out for _you_, and you shouldn't have to worry about me at all. It's not how it works, for it to be the other way around. That's just not how it works."

"Well maybe that is how _this_ works. Maybe it's going both ways according to our situation."

"I hate being worried about."

"So do I."

His gaze evens with mine. "Then I guess we're at a crossroads."

Lily, walking up behind me, snorts and pushes my shoulder again. Being as weak as I am, I fall into him, and feel his arms encircle me protectively. I sit more into his lap and nuzzle the crook of his shoulder.

"Can you tell your girlfriend to stop being so pushy. My head still hurts from before..."

He reaches up one long arm and brushes the back of his hand against Lily's nose.

"She's just being affectionate." He mocks me from earlier.

I laugh a little bit and nuzzle into his shirt more. Here he is, unharmed, and still smelling like hay with an added, musky-clean scent. I breathe in...

"You always smell good." I mumble, and feel his one arm tighten around me.

"Sora... I think you're falling asleep again."

"Whatever."

* * *

**The kiss! The KISS! thekissyaaaythekiss!**

**I know, I know, calm down fellow readers, calm yourselves. *dish breaks in the background* Uhhhmmm... is everyone okay? Sheesh, calm down, it was just a kiss.**

**"ONE. HELL. OF. A. KISS."**

**Okay, okay, so it was really nice and stuff. Damn, don't you wish that was YOU kissing him? Zero's obviously a good kisser, as we can tell from this chapter and Sora's mind being blown.**

**Sooo... um... please review... and um... maybe... maybe follow me? Or... uh... *puppy dog eyes***

**okay I just need suggestions from people out there with idea-monsters running around in their brains. I mean, I can add something in if you want me to...**

**oooo tempting, huh?**

**Anywho, I love you regardless if you're reviewing and what not because half the time, I don't even review stories on FFN. You all rock for reading!**

**thanks muchly!**

**I might tease you... with the promise of more kissing to come! haha I'm such a tease, I know...**

**CK :***


	7. Tea and Gunshots

**Chapter Seven. Tea and Gunshots**

"I got an earful from my brother already. Do you really have to escort me around?"

Yuuto sighs apologetically as he follows me to the Headmaster's wing.

"I'm more like stalking you, really." He admits, but at least we're on the same page about it.

"Why do you listen to my brother anyway?" I grumble, irritated.

"Because he's my best friend, which makes you like my sister, and you're definitely proving to us that we need to keep a sharper eye on you."

I don't argue. These past few days, with all that's happened to me... of course they'd be concerned, worried, confused, for me. Because of me. I sigh, throwing up my hands and quickening my pace.

"Unbelieveable."

He sighs behind me, and I hurriedly make my way to the Headmaster's office doors.

When me and Yuuto step inside, three faces look up to see us enter. I count: Headmaster Cross, Yuki, and Zero. Zero's quite red in the face- not a good sign.

"Um, is this a bad time?" I ask, unsure of what to do besides stand there.

"Of course not!" Headmaster yells happily, flouncing around his desk, throwing daisies about the room until we're all covered in them from head-to-toe. Zero's chibi form smokes and most of the daisies around him burn away.

"Uuummm..." Yuki wavers, looking from Zero, to the Headmaster, to me and Yuuto.

"OF COURSE IT'S A BAD TIME! DON'T SAY IT ISN'T WHEN IT IS!" Zero explodes, and I step into the room to try and calm him, but chibi Zero is already strangling chibi Headmaster, and me and Yuki look at each other helplessly. Chibi Yuuto makes a O.O face and stands alone in the background, taking off his glasses and cleaning them silently.

"Zeeerrr-OH caaan yooouuu st-OP shaaak-ing meeee?" Headmaster asks, his glasses flying off and hitting me in the face. I lean down and pick them up, flicking the hair out of my face, annoyed.

"STOP." I demand, so firmly that I swear it's like the whole room freezes in time.

Zero grumbles and brushes past me, not saying another word. Yuki looks at us all helplessly, and then follows him out, calling after him. Headmaster straightens up and smiles a wobbly smile at me, and I hand him his glasses back.

"Thank you." He says politely, as if what just happened, didn't.

"No problem, Headmaster..." I say, and, not being able to help myself, "What was Zero so upset about?"

"Oh. That. Well, uh, Yuki has plans tonight with her friends from school, I believe it's Yori's birthday or something. So she has the night off patrol, and so does your brother because he says he hasn't been feeling well-"

"He's suffering from being over-stressed. Now he has a high fever." Yuuto explained from his corner, surprisingly still polishing his glasses.

"Oh, hello, didn't see you there!" The Headmaster waves, and then turns back to me. "And so tonight we'll need you and Zero to be working extra hard out on patrol. But I thought Zero hasn't been looking so well lately, so I offered to let him rest as well- I know it may be a burden for you to work alone, but you seem like the independant, strong type to me-"

"I am." I interrupt.

"Well... Zero argued with me about letting you patrol alone regardless. So now he's working himself into a rage and he refuses to take leave tonight and rest as I'm wishing he would." He shakes his head, his ponytail swishing slightly. Then, leaning closer to me, and giving an uneasy glance at Yuuto, he says; "You do know what I mean by he isn't feeling well, right?"

I know what he means. I suspected as much myself. Oh, Zero...

"I'll work something out with him, Headmaster." I give him my easy-going smile, and he visibly relaxes.

"Good. Would you like some tea?"

"Actually, that's just what I came here for. It's been a relentless few days." I look over my shoulder at Yuuto, who is looking a bit uncomfortable. "Want to third-wheel it with us while we talk, or do you think I'm safe enough without you while I'm with Headmaster."

He's out of there with nothing more than a bow and a quick goodbye.

Sighing, I collapse on the edge of Headmaster Cross's desk, and he's quick to hand me a cup of tea that came out of nowhere.

"I don't know if you know this, but we need to talk." I say, sipping at the tea and burning my tongue before he says; "Careful it's hot."

"Did you burn yourself?" He asks worriedly.

"No." I lie, knowing how worked up he gets.

"Kuran Kaname doesn't like you much." The Headmaster states, sitting back in the chair behind his desk.

"Did he tell you the details of our little 'talk'?"

"No it's only obvious since you're so quick-witted. He doesn't fair well with people who challenge him intellectually."

"No kidding. I thought he was going to bite me, or kill me."

"Be careful, Sora. He's not to be challenged."

"But I'm not going to allow him to do anything to me." I state calmly, blowing on the tea before tentatively sipping again.

"It doesn't matter," He sighs and I look over at him. "He gets what he wants whether you'll allow it or not."

"We're talking about Yuki now, aren't we?"

He peers at me, though I can't see his eyes behind those sheened glasses I know he's looking.

"Maybe you are just a bit too sharp."

"Headmaster, are you taking sides with him?"

"I don't take sides Sora, I try to prevent them so there's none of this endless bickering." He sounds older than usual, more tired and less carefree.

I look at him carefully as I say this; "You're a good man, through and through, Chairman."

He nods and smiles softly.

"You always tend to see the good in everyone, don't you?"

* * *

I'm following a certain silver-haired depressed-looking teen now, his strides through the trees are too long for me to catch up even if I wanted to, so I stay a distance away. Also, I don't want him to know I'm following him.

When he suddenly disappears around an unexpected bend, I hurry to catch up, but when I come around that bend he's gone.

I sigh, turning to look around every tree, trying to catch a glimpse of his dark uniform, the shine of his eyes in between the branches. Anything will do, so long as I can find him.

I'm quick to turn around when I hear footsteps, but it's only Yuki. She's approaching me with a purpose behind her eyes.

"Zero won't drink from me anymore."

I blanch. Unexpected. That was unexpected. I had thought she might want to tell me all about her friend's birthday party tonight that she was attending.

"Yuki..." The concern seeps deeply into my tone, but I have to pick myself up and dust myself off. I go into my business, no-nonsense attitude immediately. "When did it stop?"

"The last time he had my blood was the day that vampire on the grounds attacked you."

I think. The day I was attacked was Saturday. I was out for three days and woke up on the third day, Monday. How many days has it been since then? Let's see, yes, Monday was the day I went with Senri and Rima to their dorm and Takuma made a move on me... *shudders* Tuesday was the day after when Kaname forced me back to the Moon Dorm again to talk with him. *shudders even more* The day after that me and Zero... *heart beats faster* oh, wait, that was last night... yesterday was Wednesday then. Today is Thursday.

"HE BEEN STARVING HIMSELF FOR ALMOST A FULL WEEK?!" I shriek, not sure if I should be more outraged or concerned.

I'll settle for both.

"Yuki," My hands are on her shoulders now. "How many times have you offered it to him?"

"Four times. And each time he seems more and more sure of rejecting me. Usually I reveal my neck and that makes him give in- but I've tried pushing myself towards him like that and he just gets more angry than thirsty at that point."

I let go of her and strive to gain control. Then I look at her, and smile my best.

"Aww, Yuki. We don't need to worry. We know he's strong, right?" I say, and she gives a tiny smile.

"Yeah..."

"That's right! So let's stay positive and do our best to find and help him!"

I don't think my heart can take this anymore. Before she can answer me I bolt- hopefully in the direction of wherever Zero is.

* * *

I end up at the stables again. Don't ask me why, it's a comforting place and remains peaceful and quiet throughout most of the day. Walking inside, I indulge happily for a moment in the smell of the hay before making my way straight to Lily's stall.

She's gone.

But so is Zero...

"Can I help you young lady?"

I spin around to see the stable hand mucking out a stall behind me.

"Have you seen Zero?" I ask, not bothering about the fact that this man might not know who I'm talking about if I'm not more specific.

"If you're talking about that tall brooding boy, he took off with his girlfriend not too long ago." He snickers, and I know now that it was he who had come up with teasing Zero about Lily being his 'girlfriend'. Zero never told me who started that trend.

"Arigato." I bow quickly, and then an idea strikes me.

To the man's surprise, I plunge into the mess of hay in Lily's stall and dig around in desperation. Finally, in the corner, I find the box.

Zero's blood tablets. I knew he's never given up- the thought of real blood disgusts him- but his body still rejects the tablets despite his efforts.

Once I slip those into my uniform's pocket, I turn and face the stable hand again.

"Can you bring me Caraway's tack? I need to borrow her." I decide suddenly, knowing with a horse as large as Cara is, I won't be able to carry her heavy tack myself. When he just stands and stares at me I shout; "NOW!"

He's back seconds later with the large dark chestnut mare, his hand on the reins of the bridle already secured around her head. She's chewing on the bit loudly as she blinks at us.

"I took the liberty to put the bridle on and set the saddle on her back for ya." The man says, and I hurry around him to cinch up the girth of the saddle, putting three fingers between her underbelly and the girth to make sure it's tight but not uncomfortably so. When I'm done with that I waste no time in pulling the stirrups down, and I grab the reins from the man and lead my new ride outside quickly.

"Damn it, this horse is tall..." I mutter as I try and fail to mount.

"Need a leg up?"

I didn't realize the man had followed me outside, but I gratefully accept his offer and put my shoe in his hands, swinging up and over into the saddle that awaits me on the purebred's back.

"Arigato." I say again, looking down at him from my high perch.

"She may be tall, but those long legs of hers make her fast." He replies.

"That's the point."

I'm about to leave when he says; "That uh, Zero kid- you looking for him?"

I nod, collecting the reins in my hands impatiently.

"I thought I saw him riding towards the lake."

"There's a lake here?" I'm shocked, after all my exploring of the grounds over the few years I've been here, I'd never found a lake.

"Yeah, it's kind of hidden. But there's a secret path you can take, just follow the trail to your left up ahead, and turn right into the forest when you reach that one large tree stump. From there the path worn in the forest is pretty noticeable- you'll be able to follow it easily."

I nod again. "Arigato." I sound panicky, repetitive, and my horse is starting to pick up on it because I notice her ears perk back at me and she shifts slightly beneath me. Don't want to make her nervous- I shutter my eyes and take a deep, calming breath.

"That boy is too lucky- to have two beautiful and fierce girlfriends like you and White Lily."

"Sorry, I have to go." I say, pretty much ignoring his last words to me.

I press my heels hard into Caraway's sides, and she bursts forward in a smooth trot that I force into an even smoother canter. Leaning back in the saddle I allow her to go at that pace for a few strides, and when I cannot take it anymore, I kick her into a blurring gallop, trying to relax my body for her so she doesn't sense my rising tension. While my hands are focused on gripping the reins and my legs are focused on squeezing my thighs to Caraway's sides, and my entire body is focused on guiding her like that, my mind is just numb with anticipation.

Zero...

* * *

There must be a god because 'that tall brooding boy' is there. I can see White Lily through the trees as I approach, slowing Caraway to a slow trot.

_Wait, but what kind of sick, twisted god would create a blood-crazy race such as vampires, and torture those unlucky souls who happen to be Turned against their will like Zero?_ I can't help but think.

I'm quick to dismount- though I forgot how far away the ground was and almost fell to the ground completely when I hopped off- and I'm careful to tie up Caraway away from White Lily- because of the white mare's threatening persona.

"Thank you, Cara." I say sweetly, kissing the chestnut's nose before circling around Lily.

Of course, I expected her to be standing over Zero protectively, but he's not to be seen.

"Lily, where is he?" I ask, my voice strained. The white horse just turns her neck to stare at me with those big eyes, and then she shakes her mane and leans down, cropping the grass at her hooves.

There's a splashing sound behind me, and I turn back to face the green-blue lake. Out there, in the depths of the water, a boy whips his wet silver hair back as he comes up for air, completely clothed and, though I'm not close enough to see, probably shivering.

"ZERO!"

I kind of expected him to not hear me because of the water in his ears, but he was quick to open his eyes, a view of light purple flashing at me across the water as I rushed my way to it's edge.

He gave me a look like 'what the hell how did you find me?' and then ducked back under the water before I could yell at him to get his ass over here on dry land.

I huffed, really not in the mood for this, and began taking off my shoes and socks.

"Ahhh!" I screamed when he broke the surface again, this time only just a few feet in front of me.

He saw me preparing to get into the lake and shook his head, wading his way forward through the water, his body gradually appearing before me as he rose, his entire uniform completely soaked through and absolutely dripping. When he was standing directly in front of me on the grassy shore, I didn't know where to start.

"You- you're- wet." I say, staring at all of his dripping self before tilting my head up to peer at his face.

He didn't respond. Just stared for a moment and then looked over my head, back at the horses.

"You took a horse and came after me? After you were already following me earlier?"

"Hmf. Well, I didn't know that you knew I was following you earlier."

He threw his hands in the air, spraying me with droplets of cool water. "You're some kind of idiot."

"Zero, stop it and just-" I stopped, seeing his jaw clench as he shivered. Wait, vampires weren't supposed to really get cold- maybe he was worse off than I thought- maybe he was sick.

With great fervor, I started undoing the buttons of his uniform jacket. When that was done, I practically ripped at his wet tie and he bent his head as I harshly (well, I was TRYING to be careful, but was having trouble) pulled it over his head and let it drop at our feet. The unbuttoned blazer followed. Then it was just his soaked white button-up and, well, that was all I was going to take off of him, obviously. He'd have to stay in those wet pants of his and suffer.

"Sora." He said as I stared at the fabric of his shirt clinging tightly to those long arms of his, bunching up at his stomach in wet folds, making his chest slightly visible through the thin wet material.

I suddenly shoved him away, when my hands reached up to start unbuttoning the buttons higher by the collar, I put my hands against him and gave him a hard push, and turned myself away. I, too, was shaking.

"Why haven't you-" My voice catches, and I suddenly can't continue. I look back to him to see the hurt behind those eyes, and I give in, stepping forward and carefully unbuttoning his shirt for him as he stands, solid and quivering, before me.

When I push the fabric over his shoulders and pull the wet long sleeves off his arms, we just leave the pile of clothing at our feet and stare at each other.

"Sora..." He says my name but for once, I don't want to hear it.

"You haven't had blood in a week. I hate you for that." I say, pushing away his hand that was reaching for my face.

"...She toId you."

I stare into his sad, beautiful eyes.

"I thought she was going to start panicking, but then I did. What's wrong with me?" I say the last part quietly, looking away from him.

I quickly look back up at him before he can say anything. "Were you so desperate you had to jump in the lake?" I ask, finally catching on.

"I was so desperate I didn't even take my clothes off, or even just my shoes, before jumping in." He leans down and pulls off his shiny wet shoes and then his socks, mumbling; "What does that tell you about me."

"It tells me you pushed yourself to nearly the breaking point this time."

"So what."

"So what?! You starved yourself mad! Is it your wish to become a Level E? Zero?"

He looked down, shook out his wet hair, ruffled it and played with it with his hands. Avoiding me.

"No. You don't even want to be a vampire at all in the first place. But, you are. So suck it up, Kiryu, because I sure as hell won't let you die, or let you lose yourself." Before he could lift his head, I remembered something important and pulled the black box out of my pocket. "Now take your damn tablets or I'll shove them down your throat!"

Maybe I was acting inconsiderate, or being too harsh, but I wouldn't watch him suffer if I could actually help him. And I can, so I won't let him hurt himself.

I had not, however, even thought at all about _my_self.

"Ze... Zero, that hurts..." I say, trying to regain my breath after he so suddenly knocked me to the ground, with him hovering over me, strong hands pinning my arms crossed over my head in a painful way.

"I won't-" His voice sounded choked, broken. "I won't take those tablets anymore. They do nothing. Actually," He pulled his head up and looked me right in the eye. Crap, those eyes were red. "They hurt me. And you're the one always saying how you don't want to hurt me." Every word of his is enunciated with the pain he's obviously been holding in on his own, barely keeping under control.

"I definitely will not ever hurt you, Zero, not ever." I whisper, and he leans forward suddenly.

"But you already have."

"...So I have." I think, remembering how I always caused trouble for him, even if it was accidentally. "So? I don't ever mean to, and I just make little mistakes here and there. Bite me."

He almost laughs, but just shivers instead. His whole body hovering just over mine is shaking fervently, as if he's about to collapse flat on me.

"Cruel choice of words."

My eyes widen as I realize the sick irony in those two little words I spoke, and then suddenly, by hearing him like this, I _know_. That sound in his voice, the message behind it...

_A vampire's thirst can only be quenched by the one they love._

I didn't hurt him because I was recently always needing his protection. I had hurt him by being who he _wants_ to protect, by being who he loves.

"Bite me." I say again, this time in a more serious tone so that he'll catch the meaning in it. "I only ever want you to bite me. So do it before anyone else can even try." I'm going for sincere, but it sounds more corny than anything when I say it aloud.

"I... I can't..."

He looks like he most definitely can.

"BITE ME!"

Like there was a string attaching his actions to my words, his head came down and his whole body came down on top of me with him. His arms were swift to release my wrists and move around me instead, and I moved my head to the side, almost actually wanting this as much as he's needing it.

When his lips brushed my neck. That's when the gunshot rang out.

* * *

**This was a shorter chapter. Wondering what'll happen? So am I ^_^**

**CK :***


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